Zhao Feiyan
by mikancchi
Summary: Mikan wasn't the happiest princess, but with her six elder brothers she had been protected. But an unforeseen evil breaches the land, she escapes and vows to rescue her family. But she didn't expect to meet...him. formally Fuki Enro .
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Summary**: Princess Mikan is the beloved seventh daughter, raised up and fiercely protected by her six older brothers. But peace in the Sakura lands is shattered as the Lady Koizumi enters and destroys everything she loves, and binds her brothers to a terrible spell. To save her brothers, Mikan is set to do a task -to sew six shirts, one for each brother, out of a painful nettle plant. And, she must be silent. She accepts, and starts sewing the shirts, harming her hands. However, she did not predict that she would be kidnapped by her own country's enemy...And even fall in love with the one she perhaps was not meant to be with. The enemy prince. A raven haired man with crimson eyes, who always wore a black cat mask during his outings...

Disclaimer: _Gakuen Alice_ and _Daughter of the Forest_ do not belong to me.

**IMPORTANT! (ESPECIALLY TO MY READERS WHO HAVE BEEN READING FROM THE BEGINNING) ****PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR NOTES AT THE END!**

* * *

_Run, Mikan, run!_

_The forest, now!_

She had run through the midst of trees, earning the many bloody scratches on her arms and face. She had stumbled on jagged rocks and broken twigs, causing the blisters upon her bare feet. She had scampered up the trees, clinging onto the bark, to hide from the soldiers, causing the numerous rips and holes to be made upon her ragged brown dress-turned-sack.

But she had been through worse.

_Just a bit further,_ she thought, swiping her arm to clear the branches in her way. She had absolutely no idea where she was going, but if it was going to be far away from the Sakura kingdom, she would go anywhere. She felt nauseous, and she continuously was getting dizzy spells. It was to her great fortune that she was protected from the scorching noon sun by the shades that the great lush trees were providing her.

Her heart clenched. She could not give up. _One step in front of another..._

She could not afford to stop. Early dawn, while the mist had not cleared yet, she had almost come face-to-face with a group of men, armed with weapons. They were probably scouting the area, as they were under war. It was a dear and careless mistake, and she prayed that no one had seen her as she slipped quietly away out of sight.

_Ouch!_ she flinched, looking down at her foot clad in her ripped slippers. Blood seeped out of one of the holes. She had stepped yet again on a piece of rock, jutting out harshly from the soil. Wincing, she hurried on.

Soon, the Healer part of her made her forced to realize that she needed to stop and rest. She sat with a flomp and leaned back against a tree, its bark digging into her back. She was so tired. She took out her one water bottle from her meager pack and drained its last, precious drops. She licked her parched lips, but to no avail; her tongue was like sandpaper. She would need to find a lake or river to re-fill her water bottle. Which would be risky. _Another problem to add upon all my worries._

A gentle spring breeze came upon her way. She closed her eyes, and enjoyed the coolness. She felt calm, something she hadn't felt in a long time. Looking up, she dazedly watched the tree branches sway gently in the breeze, the small wisps of clouds passing by in the blue sky.

Her eyes closed slowly. She would just rest for a little while to rest her aching, protesting limbs...Just for a little while. She stopped fighting her exhaustion, and succumbed to a fitful slumber.

_Wait my brothers...I'll free you soon._

* * *

Two figures stood over a restless girl curled into a ball. Her eyes were darting from side to side under her eyelids, and her damp tangled hair swayed carelessly with her head.

"A girl."

"Wonder who she is...what should we do with her?"

She was hearing voices. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. Her face twitched, and her body started shaking.

_No...nii-sama, don't leave...nii-sama...NII-SAMA! _She gasped soundlessly, and jolted awake.

She clutched her heaving chest. Her other hand pressed into the earth, her fingers digging into the soil. She squeezed her eyes shut, shutting out the last demons of the nightmare.

That's when she felt a shadow looming over her.

She froze. Her eyes widened, her body tensing with fear. She raised her head slightly.

A pair of crimson eyes were staring back at her behind a black cat mask, surrounded by his raven hair. However, it was not the mask that made her more shocked beyond normal. Although it had been a long time since she had seen her people, or even a trace of human life, she still remembered of her past life. His attire was in some way different from that of her country men.

"Let's leave her here, shall we? We need to hurry, Yukihara's men are closing in on us."

Her eyes zoned on a familiar looking pouch hanging from his waist. It was crimson, just a shade darker than his eyes, and it bore an insignia of black flames, intertwined with the yin and yang. The insignia of the Hyuuga people.

Oh _shit._

She should have acted sooner, as soon as she recognized that the words uttered were in a different language. But it was _impossible._ Surely there was no way those men were in the forest of her land. But the yin and yang, entwined with a black fire. It gave her enough confirmation.  
Pure adrenaline ran through her. She jumped up and whirled away. Never before in her life was she that fast. But she didn't get far until she felt an arm around her waist and yanking her back.

She could not scream, although that would not help, so she struggled against his hold with the last remains of her strength, beating her fists into his chest and kicking him squarely in the shins. Her actions probably gave her more pain than it was supposed to cause. But it did the job. The person holding her loosened his hold momentarily, causing her to squirm of out of his grasp. There was only one thing, one _word _coherent in her mind –and that was _escape._

However, the man proved just as stubborn as she. He grabbed her wrists and pinned her against the tree. She kicked and twisted, but she was pinned.

"Whoa girl! Man, a scrawny thing like you sure can put up a fight!" A man with black hair with a star tattoo below his eye watched her beside the crimson-eyed man.

An animalistic scream was rising from her thoat. Willfully, she silenced it. She frantically tried to escape, struggling her arms, but the hold on her wrists just got tighter.

"Who are you?" growled the figure who was leaning in a very intimidating way over her. She just stared back, fear evident in her wide eyes.

"Just leave her, Heimao, she's just a little girl," said the star-tattooed man.

The other man didn't break his gaze upon her. Instead, he narrowed his eyes dangerously. She resisted an urge to whimper. The man was big, so big. And judging from the steel grip on her arms, he was strong. She was going to have bruises on her upper arms. Lovely. How was she to escape? Then, all rational thoughts went out the window as he flung her over his shoulder.

_No!_ She desperately tried to wrestle herself out of his grip, squirming furiously and punching his back with her fists_. Let me go!_

"We're taking her with us," he growled, successfully restricting her movements. "Stay still!"

She bit his hand. He cussed, using a word she did not know, in the language of the Hyuugas.

"WHAT?! Are you crazy? She's one of the Sakura people! We can't take her back!"

"Shut up Shadow Freak –she saw us, and that's that. We can't leave her here."

"Don't call me that. And what can she do, inform the authorities? Look at her, she's pale as a ghost and dressed in rags instead of decent clothing! Half-wild, I'd say. She can cause no harm-"

The one carrying her whirled around. Which whirled her as well. Her stomach lurched. "And it's a coincidence that a wandering little girl suddenly appeared, so close to the Z zone, the boundary between the kingdoms? Especially when there is a war going around?"

"She's just a child! She's harmless!"

She bristled at the comment. She was fifteen years old, and definitely _not _a child! If she had been living peacefully at home, before the terrible event, she would have probably been already married off to one of their neighbouring lords to strengthen alliances for her father.

Heimao regarded his companion silently. "Then I see no problems with taking her with us."

The man with the star tattoo let out a groan of frustration. Heimao ignored him and hoisted her further up on his shoulder. She gave him one last kick, probably in the guts. He grunted, and his grasp loosened once more.

She needed no hesitation. She scampered up to her feet and ran for her life, her pack clutched safely in her hands. She could not be captured, no matter what! Contact with any humans were forbidden, less she wanted to be back at home. Back in the company of her parents. With a "s". And that was the last thing she needed.

But she was in no state to go for an escape.

Once again, as she had expected, she was taken hold from the behind, her legs kicking air uselessly.

The man growled and slung her on his shoulders. Then he started to run with the other man following him reluctantly, shaking his head.

His running shook her body to-and -fro. She gave up with her struggling. That was it with her strength. Plus, she did not exactly wish to fall headfirst to the ground, where rocks jutted out her and there. A head injury was the last thing she needed. At least she had her pack clung tightly in her arms, although the action hurt her arms.

Her eyes became half-closed as she saw the sky. It was starting to tinge with pink.

_He__'s running west...West to the Z-zone...to the Hyuuga kingdom..._

That was the last thought before blackness came upon her and she became unconcious.

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone! **To my old readers** (figuratively speaking), I've **edited** my story a bit to make it better. This story is undergoing revision. In some chapters, there may be only a few changes, but in others, there may be **MAJOR** changes. For more info, look at my profile page. So, you might just want to re-read this...And since it's been a long time since I updated (more than half a year I think), it will be good to refreshen your mind. For people who have a fantastic memory...sorry? But I promise, the story is better! And there are some new events here and there.

Well! That aside, to my new readers! How is it so far? Hope you enjoy :D

And don't forget to press that **review** button down there for each chapter please. Tell me what I need to improve on, what's good, and new ideas._ Lengthy _reviews are needed. I've been editing each chapter, working my butt off. Constructive criticism is what I love and devour. And I need to know what my readers like, want more, or don't like.

Reviews are _almost _better than chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. By the way, that's practically my favourite food, so to those who review, you are surely on my list of people I love.

-_mikancchi_

P.S. Anyone has a good title for this story (I think mine is grammatically wrong...for sure), please leave it in a review. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**Fuki Enro**

**C****hapter 2**

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice and the Daughter of the Forest do not belong to me.

* * *

_The spirit smiled. "Blessings towards your journey, and may you be safe." She then closed her eyes, and her body started to fade away in the form of cherry blossoms, swaying in the wind. _

"_I will pray for you..."_

Mikan woke up, blinking her eyes as her dream faded away. No doubt it was an unconscious reminder of her task that she had been neglecting too long. She looked down in her arms for a glance of her small pack. Then she sat up.

Her limbs were sore, and her feet were worse. Wincing as she pushed herself up, she took in her surroundings. It seemed like she was in a cave. _Where am I?_

"You awake?"

She bolted upwards, half-running backward until her back hit the wall. She looked at the person who just spoke, terrified.

The person, a woman in fact, had short and light red hair, like a watercolour. She was taller than her and probably older. She wore the attire of the Hyuuga.

She held up her hands. "Whoa there, I won't hurt you. Are you alright?" She was speaking in Chinese, language of the Hyuuga kingdom. Just like the two men from before. She tensed up in her crouch, ready to bolt at the slightest opportunity.

"There's no use talking to a person who doesn't understand you, Misaki." It was the guy before with the star tattoo. He was leaning back on the cave wall, tending the fire. "She's a Sakura and last time I checked, they definitely do _not _speak Chinese."

"Oh be quiet, Tsubasa, what the hell did you guys do to the poor thing? Look at her, dressed in rags, and she's thin as a stick! And she had a raging fever all night long."

She blinked. She had a fever? It was true; she still felt the aftermath of the chills.

"Hey! We found her like that, it's not my fault! Plus, what was he thinking? Bringing a Sakura over, he's crazy! A fool, in fact."

They both turned around to look at her, Tsubasa kneeling, Misaki standing. They stared at her so intensely that she felt vulnerable under their gaze.

She tensed up even more, pressing her back into the rocky wall, wishing the cave walls would swallow her up so she could disappear.

Indeed, what was that person thinking when he brought her over? He was probably regretting his actions already.

"Kaoru-sama will not be pleased if she heard about this," Misaki said quietly.

Footsteps approached them. "Heimao, finally."

He ignored the statement and sat down by the crackling fire, tossing a small buck with an arrow in its back and a bow to the corner. Mikan cringed from the sight.

"Is it raining?" The man with the tattoo looked to Heimao's wet hair and his soaked clothing. He recieved no response. But that seemed normal; the man continued his monologue. "It's a good cover; it'll be harder for the Sakuras to move, especially through the forest of theirs. Obsucring their vision. Good will, I say. And nice catch! Fresh meat for dinner!"

Misaki rummaged through her pack and stepped towards the carcass, holding a knife. "Good thing you hunted, Heimao. We were running out of the dried meat."

Heimao turned his head slightly to glance at the girl who was curled up into a ball against the wall. She glared back at him in defiance, no matter how scary and eerie his black cat face was.

"Not a touch of gratitude. Hn," he said, and his gaze swiveled back to the warm fire. His voice had a touch of hollowness, due to the mask he was still wearing.

A gust of wind came into the cave, making the fire flicker.

She shivered, clutching her pack in her arms. Her clothes were rags and thin, and her cloak had long been gone.

Misaki, who had been watching the girl the whole time, stopped butchering the meat. She went to the entrance of the cave, where she held out her hands in the rain. Then, she took out a cloth and wiped her hands clean of the blood. She then preceded to her pack and took out a crinkled shirt and cloak out of one of the packs. She approached the shivering figure slowly.

"Here, change into these," she said, holding out the clothes gently. Mikan pressed her back into the wall more. "We can't have you freeze to death now, can we?"

"Misaki-" Tsubasa was silenced by Misaki's look.

"She's just a girl. No harm done if we give her some decent attire." She turned back towards her.

Mikan's eyes were full of suspicion. She would definately not go near them. This was just all an act.

No way was she going to act all genially friendly to her country's sworn enemies.

Misaki dropped the clothes in a neat pile nearby and backed up slowly.

Mikan watched the woman with the light red hair. A gust of cold wind came, and she shivered. She eyed her thin rag dress critically. Then, hesitantly, she reached out an arm to take the clothes, never breaking the gaze. Misaki smiled at her.

Fast as a cat, she grasped the clothing slowly, then quickly snatched back her arm. She was still wary, eying the woman for any other motives than of what she had heard. Surely it was not all just for good deed. The others watched the interaction silently. She looked at them, and they both turned around, back facing her. She looked at the woman before her, who smiled and also turned away. The woman took up her knife and continued her ministrations with the raw meat.

After some moments, Mikan gave a look over. There was a slightly wrinkled shirt that was long enough to cover her to her knees and a long, sturdy travelling cloak. After shooting another gaze to the backs of her captives, she tentatively stripped off her torn and ragged and wet shirt and replaced it with the fresh one. It was big for her frame and hung from her shoulders. She wrapped the cloak around her thin frame tightly.

It was warm. She let out a quiet sigh of relief, quiet enough that only she would hear. Maybe...maybe they were only trying to help her. Maybe they only thought to give her some shelter. Maybe they meant no harm.

Misaki turned her head around and looked at her. "That's better, don't you think?"

Clutching the cloak that made a protective barrier around her, she watched the red head cautiously, her gaze laced with suspicion, only to recieve a smile in response.

She looked at the backs of the two men sitting by the fire. They were talking in undertones, too quiet for her to hear.

Perhaps they were devising a plan on how to get rid of her. How to give her the treatment that they would give gladly to her people. The smell of burning skin came into her mind.

The Hyuugas were bloodthirsty murderers. Had she not seen the small farm village of Noda after the Hyuuga warriors went through it? An eerie silence of death. Not a single mercy was given, even to the helpless women and infants. Houses all broken down, some still burning, every inhabitant dead. The remnants evidently showed chaos. Men, brothers, uncles, fathers, even grandfathers, fell holding swords as a desperate attempt to protect their family. When help arrived, all that was left was the cawing of the ravens and the remains of the brutal slaughter. The Sakuras, driven by immense anger and fury, sent out scouts and pushed back the Hyuuga warriors out of their lands.

That day, Touya and she had been travelling nearby, and her eldest brother went to investigate what had occured. She had followed, curiously. But he held her back, not letting her see the villagers' remains that were being dragged into the makeshift graves. But she saw a basket on a rubble, neglected and left behind, with a spear through the top.

A shiver ran down her spine as the fire made the spear leaning against the wall give a malicious glint.

Mikan coughed. Her throat was dry and her tongue felt like sandpaper. Shivering, she wished to drink an infusion of willow bark for her chills.

"Would you like some water?

It was the red haired figure. Again. The woman got out a water skin and held it out to her. "Water," she said pointing to the object in her hands. It seemed this woman picked a few words up, probably from the Sakura kingdom's captives. "Drink," she tilted her head back and gulped air. She left it near Mikan and backed away once more to tend the now cooking meat.

Although a serious situation (which may end with her death), Mikan had to repress an urge to giggle. Her accent was laughable. Instead, Mikan set her face into a hard stony gaze.

"I don't see the point in this, Misaki. She doesn't understand, and your attempt in Japanese is quite horrifying."

A glare was shot at the speaker. "Ando Tsubasa, _shut up_." And shut up he did.

Mikan stared at the woman and then hesitantly took the water skin. Even so, she remained on her toes, and willed her concious to awaken. She opened it and peered inside. She held her nose over it. When she could detect no trace of poison, she carefully took a sip. She waited for any effects on her body, some nauseousness or dizziness, but there were none. Then she slightly relaxed and gulped the precious liquid.

The cool water had an instant effect; it soothed her sratchy throat considerably. She took another gulp of the fresh water, then lowered the bottle. When the red haired woman turned around, she drank more with urgent gulps and set the water skin aside. Although she wanted to drink more, she knew what the effects of a dehydrated person drinking too much water will be.

At least her empty stomach had some water filling it up. And she did feel better.

"You'd better have something to eat, too." The woman held out a piece of dried meat towards her. "This isn't fully cooked, and this is the last of our rations."

Mikan cringed away.

Tsubasa, who was smelling the heavenly aroma rising from the pot, looked up. "I think that's a no, Misaki." He then returned his attention on the cooking food, as if his attentiveness would magically speed up the cooking.

"Hmm." Misaki turned back to the food she was in charge of. "You're drooling Tsubasa. Get away from the meat."

"Hey!"

After swirling the contents of the pot with some utensil, Misaki scooped the meat (and seemingly rice) into three bowls and served them. Tsubasa gave a slight moan and started to wolf his portion down. Heimao merely had his attention at the entrance of the cave, watching and listening for any sound of unwelcome visitors.

Even with the relaxed atmosphere, Mikan knew she would not be able to leave. Even if she tried, her legs would betray her, too weak to carry her flimsy weight. She curled up into a ball against the furthest wall and closed her eyes.

_I'm tired. What am I going to do now? I can't be captured...not w__hile I have a task to complete. My brothers are waiting._

She peeked through her half-lidded eyelids. They seemed to have finished their dinner. The scent of the meat still lingered in the air. She involuntary shuddered as she remembered the unseeing eyes of the dead buck. Always feeling a natural bond with the inhabitants of the forest that surrounded her home, she never consumed living creatures.

After a short talk between the three, they seemed to have decided to sleep as well -the woman and the man with the tattoo lay down, wrapping their cloaks around them securely, the fire only smoke.

Only Heimao was awake. His back was to her. He was probably keeping the first watch.

He was a Hyuuga soldier. One not to be trusted. But her eyelids felt like lead. After a short inner battle to keep awake, she gave up and obligingly closed them.

Sceneries went though her mind. Of the happy times. The images of a childhood memory, when they all danced around the sacred tree at the Geshi Festival, celebrating the midsummer solstice. When she watched her eldest brothers wrestle, like two animated wolf cubs. When they all went rolling down the hill, laughing with glee. When they all laid down in the field of dewy grass, breathing the scent of soil and watching the clear, blue sky and feeling the warm sun's rays. Though missing their mother, they were so happy together, herself and her six brothers. Living together in their castle, nestled deeply in their mysterious forest that they grew up with and knew inside out.

They had been inseperable, as if the seven of them were one and each one was a part of the whole.

And then, just one day, everything went wrong. All because of one woman.

Their lives had been messed up. One by one, a precious thing was lost to them.

And then, the final act.

She squeezed her eyes, willing every inner strength to block that out.

_I will free you all._

_Please be safe._

A tear ran down her face.

* * *

After some time, when there was only silence, Heimao got up from his position. He turned and watched the girl fall asleep, curled up and burrowed into a small crevice in the wall. She had wrapped herself tightly with the tan cloak that Misaki gave her, and only her face and her hair could be seen. Her long brown hair pooled out beneath her face, protecting her face from the rocky cave floor.

Tsubasa was slightly snoring, and Misaki was unmoving.

He slowly got up, making sure his clothing made no sound. He walked silently towards the girl and kneeled in front of her. She did not move, save for her rapid eye movements, seeing something in her dreams. But she was asleep. Then, he quietly took hold of the worn out pack and made his way back to the fire. He sat down and opened the pack. He had to make sure their lives were not in jeopardy. The only way to do that was to check her identity.

Misaki thought her half-wild, abandoned by humans. She had heard the details of the encounter from Tsubasa and had examined the girl herself when she was in her fever, the condition she was brought in.

But all through out the struggle when he tried to bring her here, she had clutched that pack for her dear life. What did it hold? The family jewels, a horde of gold, or, if Misaki was right, maybe some fruit to eat?

Another strange thing was that she had not uttered a noise.

He parted the pack. There seemed nothing of value inside except for the small silver knife and dagger. Perhaps the girl was a weaver, with the spools and needle –yet if she was, she probably lived in a village- and ...what was this plant?

He glanced up at the still sleeping girl, one eyebrow raised. An insane person, one out of wits, would carry this plant around with herself. _A witch? A sorceress?_

He shoved the plant aside, careful not to prick himself. Then, a glitter caught his eye.

Reaching in to the pack, he drew out what had caught his attention. A crimson pouch with his fingers. It was the same as the one that hung on his waist.

Not only that, it had his family's insignia, the flame and the yin and yang.

And on the end of the drawstring of the pouch dangled a carved figurine of a black bird.

The crystal reflected brilliantly by the flames of the fire, casting dancing flashes against the black cave walls.

His eyes widened, shock reflecting in his eyes. He loosened the drawstring to open the pouch, and shook it out.

Out fell a crimson stone, the size of a small child's fist, fiery red as the pouch itself.

There was no mistake. This was an alice stone. It belonged to the princess of his kingdom. The very same princess who disappeared three years ago. His fingers came around this as a picture of a smiling girl with raven hair flashed before him.

_How..._he thought, once again resting his gaze on the sleeping, unaware girl.

_How does she have this?_

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER TWO**

A/N: Here's chapter two! How's the story so far? Like it? Dislike it? Confusing? Weird? Tell me!

Hope it didn't make anyone go ballistic and drop their computers off the balcony.

In this story, Mikan's a vegetarian! Hmm...Is Ruka originally vegetarian as well in the manga? After all, he loves animals...even the monsterous sized chick (Piyo)! Should he be vegeterian? Please answer in the review.

Alright, do people know who Heimao is? Any guesses? Me, myself, and I think it's a pretty easy guess...

And please give me **reviews**. I've been editing this for ages. To be frank, by bootie is sore from my chair. Constructive criticism please. And what your thoughts on the story.

So please review after reading this, ok? Pretty please. I'll bake you a cyber chocolate cake. Or any other flavour. I like foret noir as well. XD

--_mikancchi_


	3. Chapter 3

**Fuki Enro**

**Chapter 3**

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice, Daughter of the Forest, do not belong to me.

* * *

It was all quiet in the cave, except for the crackling of the new fire in the middle of the cave. The _pit-pat _noise was gone; it seemed to have stopped raining. The flickering flames casted the dancing shadows faint the cave walls.

It seemed she had slept deeply enough to escape her night demons. She rubbed her eyes blearily. The first thing she saw were the two Hyuuga soldiers, Tsubasa and Misaki, cocooned in their travelling cloaks and sleeping, curled in a corner.

Heimao was sitting, back against the wall with his arm propped up on his knee. He seemed to be breathing evenly enough, his eyes closed. Suprisingly, his mask was off and his face was shown. Mikan took this opportunity to observe his features.

He had tanned skin, olive. His right ear bore a gold ear cuff with what seemed like a dragon carving and his left ear was pierced, and had a silver hoop with a red bead hanging. His face was framed by his raven hair, which fell to his eyes that bore long lashes. He had a straight nose and a strong jaw. Although sleeping, his face was formidable. And from his actions so far, he was cold and ruthless, and not big for words. Not wanted as an enemy.

_I need to escape from them,_ she thought. _I can't believe I wasn't killed the moment I was discovered..._She mentally scolded herself for being weak and sleeping until now.

She stayed silently for a few more minutes, observing every movement of each person. Each breath and each rustle. Then, she slowly stood up, careful to minimize the movement from the folds of her own clothes.

She started to edge out of the cave, inch by inch. She was almost out when she realized that her back felt too light, a familiar weight gone.

_My pack!_ she thought desperately, whirling around.

Her pack contained some of her precious tools to do her task, along with her only weapon and a few precious memoirs that she cherished.

She bit her lip. Her pack was too important to leave behind. She scrunched her eyes, scouring the cave. Where was her pack?

_There! _She froze. Her brown pack was beside Heimao, of all people!

She inched closer towards him, careful not to make any sudden movements. Slowly, she reached out her hand to grasp the strap of her pack.

_Thank the goddess,_ she thought, slowly retracting her arm with her pack safely secured. Then she turned around, ready to bolt out of the cave when she felt a hand grab onto her wrist, twisting it painfully.

_Shoot._

In a flash, he had forced her down, jerking her to her knees beside him, keeping her wrist in his painful grip. "What do you think you're doing?" His voice had not risen a bit.

She bit back a yelp of frustration and fear. She inwardly cursed. Of course he was awake, one of them would be keeping watch in a foreign _enemy _land! She was now angry. What game was he playing, holding her in his confines, when he and his companions had to move swiftly and unencumbered? She struggled against his grip once more.

His eyes bore into hers. "You aren't going anywhere." He held up a red pouch identical to the one that hung on his waist.

She froze, staring at the pouch that was dangling from his hand, swinging around slowly before it settled. He must have had searched through her pack! She tried to tug her wrist out of his grasp, but the grip only tightened.

"Look at me." His voice was low, dangerous. She looked behind him at the crackling fire, refusing to meet his gaze.

"_Look at me_." He forced her chin up with his other hand, forcing her to meet his angry crimson eyes.

"Where did you get this?" he repeated again in the same deathly tone. "_Tell –me –where –you –got –this_." He put emphasis on each word, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Summoning up her strength to not let a sound out of her, she averted his gaze and focused on the red pouch. He made a furious growl.

The fire behind her roared suddenly, blazing and growing, almost reaching the ceiling of the cave. She jumped in shock at the sudden blast of heat. _What?!_

"I have the power to manipulate fire and I can burn you whenever I please." A flame appeared in his hand as well. "_Who gave you this_?"

She flinched, backing away as much as she could in the confines of his grip. He had an innate power, a natural skill. An alice. Just like her. This was very _very _bad.

But she would keep her silence. The goddess had been clear about the requirements of the task. _Remember, you must not make a sound, you must not tell your tale in any way to living creature. Break this silence, and the curse remains forever._

"Answer dammit! Three moons in this god forsaken country, searching for answers. Followed every lead, turned every wretched stone-and what do I get? Hunger, cold, parrying blows in the dark. Dodging the soldiers in every path of this wretched country, to find just one clue. Then on the very last day, you, of all people, who randomly were in the same place as I was, had this, the only _proof _that she may still be alive! And who do I get it from. A girl who won't talk, or worse, _can't._" The fire swelled hazardously towards her. "At the very least, tell me this. _Give me the name who gave you this pouch__!"_

She was frozen. His anger was tangible, like the raging fire behind her, ready to engluf her in flames. Her gaze travelled from the red pouch dangling in his hands to his furious face, with the fire's glow flickering in his pupils, slit like a cat. She willed herself to calm. To not fear this man. To not think of the fire. To not think of the autumn three years ago, when a prisoner had been brought captive into her house.

He looked directly into her eyes. Her hazel orbs met his crimson. "I swear you can understand me. But how could you?"

She flinched. She remembered the warning her elder brother once gave her and her other brother. _You two are like open books. Your thoughts blaze like a beacon from your eyes..._

He maintained his gaze.

"Damn you," he said with a quiet level tone. "Damn you and your people."

Mikan stared back mutely.

"Ok, enough Heimao." It was Misaki. She was standing up with her hands were on her hips.

"Stop gabbling your frustration. You're scaring the poor girl out of her wits."

"What's going on," muttered Tsubasa, rolling up into a ball. He peered through his half-lidded eyes, his hair in disarray. "Is it about that girl again?" he groaned, and rolled over, pulling his cloak over his disarrayed hair. "For god's sake, just let the goddamn girl go and we'll be free of this trouble."

As her captive's attention was diverted, Mikan backed away slowly with her pack clenched in her other hand. She then stomped on Heimao's foot, causing him to loosen his grip.

"You-"

She pulled her wrist out of his grasp and grabbed the red pouch and bolted for the exit of the cave.

She had already known that it was hopeless; they were all trained warriers, trained well in combat. Bows, arrows, spears and other weapons were lined up against the wall, looking as a silent threat. Plus, the only people from the Hyuuga land who came so deep into her country were most likely assassins.

But she had to try. And what happened just a few minutes ago convinced her more.

Unsurprisingly, she felt an arm grab her waist and she was flung back inside the cave. She winced when she felt her back land against a jutted rock.

"Stop!" The two men looked at Misaki, bodies tensed and eyes alert. Her tone had been different. Misaki wore a concentrated look as she closed her eyes. She opened them soon with alarm. "Soldiers!"

On cue, the two men jumped into action, quickly gathering their stuff together, rolling their bedding and stowing their gear and weapons. Mikan, forgotten, watched the scene unfold. Tsubasa dumped dirt onto the fire, putting it out with a stamp with his boot.

"Where to?"

"To the Z zone," Heimao said shortly. "We're done here."

She watched everything in fear and despair. _Sakura soldiers?! Here! I can't be caught!_

"They defeated my dopplegangers on the east side!" Misaki cried.

_Dopplegangers?_ she thought. _Is that her alice?_

"What about her?"

They all stopped to look at her.

"She's coming with us," said Heimao flatly.

Tsubasa was fed up with his persistence.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE SHE IS FROM THESE ACCURSED SAKURA LANDS! ONE OF YOUR _ENEMIES_! WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO ACHIEVE BY BRINGING HER BACK? WHAT WOULD YOUR MOTHER SAY! SHE'S JUST GOING TO DRAG US DOWN! DO YOU WANT TO DIE HERE, YOUR BONES LOST FOREVER?"

"Heimao, look at her," Miskai interjected, "remember her state when you found her. She hasn't made a sound, not a single noise; she probably can't, and was cast off into the wild because of that by her own people. She can't tell the authorities. And Tsubasa's right, she will drag us down."

Heimao glared at him. "We'll cope." He put on his cloak and left the cave.

"Damn that boy, stubborn as a mule...In Alice's name, I swear, if we get caught, I'm going to _kill _him." He looked at Mikan, who shrank back. His gaze seemed to softened.

"What is he doing, I don't know...You will never fit in in the Hyuuga lands as long as you are a Sakura." He left as well, leaving her staring after him.

Misaki sighed and pulled her along out. Mikan stumbled behind. _People of the Hyuuga lands sure use their hands well,_ she thought with a grimace. She probably had a fresh addition of bruises due to Heimao, and now Misaki.

_Should I struggle? No, I can't afford to be caught. That brings a greater risk. Judging from this woman's tone, Sakura soldiers are probably swarming around us._

They were running quickly, maneuvered their way through the forest. The sun was slowly coming up, peeking through the clouds. Misaki pulled her, swiftly changing directions.

She halted suddenly. "They're _everywhere!" _she hissed, veering to the left this time, Mikan in tow. "All my dopplegangers are defeated! Good thing the Sakura lands are full of forests..."

Mikan did not have the energy to think about it any more. She was panting and wincing with every step. Her tangled hair got in the way, obscuring her vision. Her feet were swelling again and blisters were popping due to the rough terrain. She almost ran head in to a tree. She barely swerved it, its branch cutting across her cheek.

_Pay attention, stay awake_, she thought mentally. But she found that very difficult to do. She was glad that her stomach was empty; elsewise, she was sure that she would have thrown up its contents by now.

Tsubasa who was running ahead turned his head around. Their gazes met for a second.

Then he stopped in his tracks and suddenly ran towards her. Before she had time to react with a flinch, he grabbed her around the waist, lifted her, and resumed running with never-by-your-leave.

Mikan, who was in shock, stared up at him in surprise, her mouth in an O shape.

"Don't look at me like that," he grumbled. "Misaki usually runs much faster, leading. We aren't getting caught because of you."

She looked at his determined expression, his face set hard, as they started running again.

Up this way, running here and there –how were they navigating through this forest, she had no idea.

They burst through a thicket of trees, coming upon a clearing. No- it was a cliff!

A dead end.

They skidded to an halt. They were high up, given the vista they had of the endless greenery of trees below. But at the far end, you could see a line of treeless land if you squinted. The Z zone was visible. They had been so close.

"Shit!" cursed Heimao, quickly looking around for alternative routes. It was impossible to jump down and survive.

Voices were faintly heard behind them.

"I saw them!"

"This way!"

The sound of soldiers came closer and closer. And from all directions, except from their backs.

"All sides! Make sure they cannot escape!" came a booming voice, too near for comfort.

She felt a trickle of sweat come down her forehead. Her heart was thudding so loudly, she was sure at least Tsubasa would feel it.

She closed her eyes as the soldiers burst out, their naked swords glinting in the sunlight.

They were doomed.

* * *

A/N: Third chapter completed!

How is the story so far? **Reviewwwws needed! **I live on reviews. More reviews, faster updates. Please write lengthy ones, not just one liners with the same message. At least write about..._something _that you like about in the chapter, what should happen, etc. You must have some opinion! And reviews are the reward for me...I'm so frustrated with the progress of this story. It's dragging...

On the other note, read my other stories as well XD

-_mikancchi_


	4. Chapter 4

**Fuki Enro**

**Chapter 4**

Disclaimer: The Daughter of Forest, Gakuen Alice do not belong to me.

_Little translating guide:_

Hime: Princess

Nii-sama: Elder brother

* * *

They looked frantically for an escape route, but they found none.

_Hime..._

She whirled her head around, alarmed. But her three companions, or rather _kidnappers_, gave no reaction. Just the steel grim face as they gazed at the four or five soldiers slowly advancing on them.

_Who's there?_ she thought.

Then, the scene before her changed. Everything blacked out except for her own body.

_What? _The only thing she could see in front of her was a wisteria tree.

_Hime, please remember. __You have seen me before..._

_Remember what?!_ Mikan wanted to shout.

_Not all is hopeless. Please remember, back on the Geshi festival..._

The voice faded into nothing, and she found herself back in present time again. Heimao had his cat mask on, so his expression was unrecognizable. But from his tense pose, he seemed resigned to the fact that he had to fight.

She began to think desperately. _The willow tree's spirit told me not all is hopeless, which means that there is a mean to escape...that I know of. Ugh! Why does every spirit of all the trees speak in twists and turns? Can't they just speak plainly? It just needs to tell me what to remember...wait._

She closed her eyes and concentrated, becoming deaf to her surroundings. _Think Mikan, think!_

"_Mikan! Come here for a second."_

"_What is it nii-sama?"_

"_Look at this Mikan..."_

_"__Awesome, nii-sama! I wonder where it leads to!"_

_"Let's go find out, shall we?"_

She opened her eyes. _That was it!_

She silently thanked the wisteria tree that grew on the edge of the cliff. She tapped Tsubasa urgently.

"What?!" he said, not looking at her as he had a desperate look on his face. He turned his attention solely on the soldiers and fingered his dagger hanging from his belt. He moved here and about, his feet impatient. "Come on, I just need an higher angle of the sun," he muttered under his breath.

She frowned and pinched him on the arm. Hard.

"OW! WHAT!" he exploded.

"I heard a voice General!"

The soldiers advancing on them grinned. "Back up!" One raised their voice. "We're here! Some Hyuuga bastards too."

Undeniable sounds of leaves crunching, another dozen soldiers burst through the clearing.

"Tsubasa!" Misaki hissed, giving him a death glare. If looks could kill, Tsubasa would be embarking on his fourth voyage to the seven hells.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath. "Now look what you made me do."

She pointed to the side of the cliff impatiently.

When she received a look of utter confusion and annoyance, she quickly jumped out of his arms and dragged him to the edge of the cliff. This move would not seem suspicious; they were beginning to slowly close in. Then she pointed down with a hurried gesture.

Heimao spared her a glance and slowly backed up from the soldiers as they talked amongst themselves of what to do with their prisoners.

"You want me to jump off the cliff?! Are you insane-"

There was no time to waste, let alone _dispute _due to her disability. She could hear the trees whispering to her, urgently, their voices trailing out in the breeze.

_Danger__! Little sister, run!_

And so, with a whack on his back, she pushed him off the cliff.

"HEY-AHHHHH!"

He fell.

"NO!" screamed Misaki, lunging. The soldiers braced their weapons at this sudden sound that reverbrated with rebounding echoes. "Tsubasa!" She whirled back, staring at Mikan in fury, white-faced. "How dare you! How dare you-"

"I'm fine Misaki," came a weak voice under. Mikan hoped his voice was not carried to the soldiers. All wind stopped, unable to carry a sound. It was as if the forest was helping her.

Misaki's eyes widened. "Tsubasa?" Seeming to have forgotten the soldiers (or perhaps she trusted Heimao to fend of a dozen and a half soldiers by himself) she jumped down onto her knees and leaned over the edge of the cliff. "What-"

This was not the time.

She wondered if all Hyuuga people wasted their time in life-threatening situations. Misaki's back was still to her as she tried to search frantically for Tsubasa under.

She took this opportunity to push Misaki as well. With one mightly shove, Misaki was airborne.

"What-EYAA- oof!"

Faint, muffled sounds were heard.

"Ugh! What the- Misaki!"

"Tsubasa!"

"Gerrof me! My god, woman, you weigh a ton!"

"Tsubasa! You're ok! And I do not weigh a ton!"

"God's sake woman, your hair is in my mouth- GAA -you're choking me!"

After eavesdropping on the faint conversation, she gave a satisfying nod and turned around - and found herself face to face with him, their faces an inch apart. His gaze narrowed on her.

_Eep!_ She jumped back perilously, almost falling off as well.

The leader brandished his sword. "Enough of this! Take them!"

One soldier ran towards Heimao, his sword straight on.

Her brothers would have responded by ducking and slashing the opponent's knees. Instead, Heimao's boot came up, lightening speed, and knocked the sword out of his opponent's hands. In an instant, the soldier was reeling away with a cry, his right sleeve bloodstained.

The other soldiers gathered in a semi-circle around him, circling him and her. She had not realized that men played such deadly games, one she have only heard in tales. A sort of single combat, where each took turn with the interloper, until he was finished or they all moved together to finish him off. A slow death.

The men tuned down their sneering and foul remarks. "Damn Hyuuga bastard."

"He can fight, this one. And what of the girl?"

"The girl's out of her wits, for sure. Or maybe she was commanded to do so, as a final act out of desperation, so they would not be captured and give out precious information. How brave, killing her own comrades." the speaker smirked. "They must be of high-rank, valuable indeed."

Another hefted his sword. "I had a good brother, felled to an arrow at the ambush on Sakuzen plains. I'll be his next opponent. Let him pay in blood for the blood shed that day!"

The second man gave out a battle cry, and rushed forth, raising his sword high above before it came slashing down. He was more skilled than the previous, but Heimao had an advantage with his height. And speed. He was light on his feet, and his sword skills were impressive. The men around drew commentaries, accusing him with foul words heard from drunken men in the clutches of ale at the dead of the night.

Heimao proved to be tireless and fought on without a word. Clashes rang out, remenating the fierce sound throughout. Then Heimao swiped at the man's leg with his own. With one quick strike, the flat of Heimao's blade fell on the soldier's arm as he evaded the previous blow, causing him to fall, the sword clashing on the stone ground.

"Bastard," he spat out, clutching his oddly crooked arm. "Typical. Fighting dirty, like your people."

Then four or five soldiers closed him upon them. Mikan, frightened, stood behind Heimao and watched the fight. He rolled on the ground to dodge their blows, thrusting his sword with one hand into one man's vitals, the other arm swiping low at the back of his opponents' knees. Other soldiers leapt in with an angry war cry, furious at their comrade's death. She then remembered, trembling, her small silver dagger in her pack. She plunged her hand in the tan sack, ignoring the familiar prickles the spindly plant gave her, and fished out her weapon. She grasped it tightly in both hands.

"Run!" came the sudden shout. Heimao whirled around, knocking bodies to the floor. He parried a blow that came to his left, but a second slashed at his legs and a third came straight on. Heimao dropped his weapon with a hiss.

Yes. She could escape; all she had to do was step a couple of steps behind, and she would be out of the fight. But she would not leave him. It was clear that he was the leader of the small troop, and she did not want to imagine what would happen if he were dead. Or worse, taken alive as prisoner, back to her father's home, to be tortured for information.

Which would most definately reveal something about her wherabouts to her seeking step-mother.

Then she felt a grip on her shoulder, and was turned face to face with one of the soldier's.

"I know you," he said slowly. "I know you from somewhere, I know it. What are you, one of us, people of Sakura, doing with a Hyuuga soldier? Huh? Or perhaps you aren't such a good girl after all, selling him secrets, along with your body?" He yanked her hair, causing her to make a painful face.

"Hang on," said one of the others. "Isn't she- no, it can't be. She died, along with her brothers."

"You mean-"

"But it is her. Look at that face. It _is _her." He turned pale.

The other's face hardened. "Tie her hands. She was with the enemy. We'll take her back with us just in case."

_No!_ She could not go with them. Koizumi would kill her! She remembered the flash of white, the flurry of white feathers. She turned frantically to Heimao, who was using his arms and legs in a flurry of motion, the famed martial art skills of his people, his weapon lost. But a large gash was evident, seeping blood out from his leg quickly, and she could tell he was wearing out fast.

Her eyes widened as the man reached for her wrist. She swept her arm up in self-defence, and was alarmed by the painful cry and released me with an oath. Blood welled from his hand. She remembered then the small dagger clenched in my fist. She dropped it, a bit alarmed. She did not give wounds; she tended them. Another man came at her, a bit more threateningly, and grabbed her arm roughly, and her only weapon was taken away. She was caught.

Many had already fallen. From the odd angle of one soldier, at least one was dead. But Heimao was still under attack from all sides. He looked as if he was having trouble standing up, his weight oddly shifted towards the left. Fortunately, it was back to the game, the single combat, the game of cat and mouse. Unforunately, one of the bigger man held a knife to his throat; Heimao gripped the other's wrist and held it away. Mikan could see the cords of muscles straining in his neck. And above the bright blade, their gaze met.

Mikan could read his expression, though she could only see his crimson eyes beneath the mask. He was going to die here, and she would be taken back home. Back home to Lady Koizumi, and death to my brothers.

She needed help. He needed help. Desperately, she gathered her inner strength and called out silently. _Spirits of the forest, hear my plea! Help him. Help us. If I die, my brothers perish with me!_

Rain came. It had been a clear, bright day, and the sky was now full of furious and angry clouds. Droplets of water splattered them, fast and furious. Sheets of water poured down, like a waterfall, cutting each man from this world. She reached blindly, squinting as she could see nothing but water, and a hand came in view and grasped hers tightly. She was then dragged, being pulled by the force, and she clutched her own pack as if clutching for her dear life.

Then she slipped on the smooth surface, and she felt herself falling backwards. Her face fell backwards with her body and she felt the sheer, brutal strength of the pouring rain on her face.

_Kyaaa! _she screamed inwardly as she fell off the cliff. A hand shot out into her vision and grabbed her arm.

The second before she bashed her head, she felt herself being caught upright. The raw force of the rain had disappeared, although she still heard the storm raging on. Trying to calm her soundless gaspings, she opened her eyes cautiously, finding herself looking up into a pair of crimson eyes. He stared at her intently. He broke his gaze, and dropped her.

She fell out of his arms and landed onto the rocky surface of the ledge. _Ouch! What on earth- _She looked at him furiously, squinting at his outline- rubbing her behind.

"Are you all right?" came an anxious voice from the darkness. "We heard shouts. A lot of them too."

Mikan vaguely saw Heimao's outline slide down the wall and sitting down on the floor.

A sudden flame erupted, and the light surprised Mikan. The small flame, floating in the air, cast long shadows in the cave. She looked up and saw Misaki and Tsubasa in front of her, observing her appearance.

Tsubasa gave Mikan a look over. "Sudden storm, and you look like a drowned mouse!" he grinned at her. "Thanks for saving us...although you could have done it in a less surprising way...I thought I was going to die," he muttered. "How did you know that there is a ledge here, not to mention a tunnel? This is the perfect escape route!"

She slowly got up from her position from the floor. It was uncomfortable to have her legs in her current position. _You'll see how perfect it is soon..._she thought, remembering the time when she had gone through the same tunnel with one of her brothers when she was five. She looked at the cave and a sense of nostalgia rushed through her.

"Thank you." It was Misaki, giving her a sheepish smile.

Mikan blinked the water out of her eyes and took her saturated hair in her hands and tried to wring it out. Then she looked at Heimao.

His right leg was stuck out awkwardly in front of him. There was blood on his clothing. He took off his mask and she saw his face. Very pale, an alarming white, with a grim set to his lips. Men could be rather stupid when it came to injuries. As if pretending nothing was wrong will make it go away, or people won't notice it if one was keeping quiet about it.

Fat chance. Heimao dug his own grave when he lit the flame, allowing everyone to get a good look at his state.

"Wonderful," said Tsubasa, eyeing the wound. "Just how are you going to get around now?"

* * *

A/N: Thanks to all those who supported me and this story with your fabuloso reviewettos!

Sorry if Tsubasa seems a bit OC with the sarcasm.

You know the drill -**review review and review** again! Yes, I'm greedy for reviews! Plus I edited this chapter more than 6 times, I'm serious. You know the drill; more reviews, faster updates. Please give me some feedback about my writing, the plot, the char development...Hmm, I'm repeating myself, "my writing" sums everything all up...

Anyways, to my old readers, here was a _MAJOR_ change! It's not so major, but...well, I consider it major for _Heimao _to be injured. For those who do not know his identity...look up his name in a chinese translator, if you're too curious to wait!

-_mikancchi_


	5. Chapter 5

**Fuki Enro**

**Chapter 5**

Disclaimer: The Daughter of Forest, Gakuen Alice, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles does not belong to me.

* * *

"I don't think they're convinced of us being dead, although I presume that they thought we were committing suicide," said Misaki with a frown, now noticing the gaping wound on her leader's leg. "Did they?"

A curt nod from the heavily breathing man confirmed her hypothesis. "Good thing you can understand the Sakura language. Pity you can't speak it, though they probably wouldn't think about giving an ear to listen. Anyways, they'll be having this area under watch and dispatching more men after us. I'm afraid we'll just have to follow the tunnel to wherever it leads."

"And hope we're fortunate enough that no Sakura soldier knows this pathway." Tsubasa kneeled in front of Heimao and grimaced, looking at the gaping wound. "You all right? That's some wound…your opponent has some mean skills.

Heimao said nothing. Instead, his olive skin looked rather translucent, his wet hair hung limp, and he seemed to be breathing rather shallowly. His crimson eyes, partly covered from his hair, seemed to be filled with pain. From the looks of his leg, he would have been lucky to hobble as far as a couple of steps into the tunnel, let alone run and hide from a group of well-armed and uninjured men.

Mikan decided his companion Tsubasa was correct in judging him crazy. Judging from his fighting skills earlier, she was almost sure that he could have evaded and escaped the Sakura soldiers quickly if she were not with him. It was she who had momentarily distracted him by pushing his comrades off the cliff, giving the soldiers the few precious seconds for them to surround them like an ambush. She herself might have well caused the injury. She flinched at the memory of the man who she slashed at.

_I am a Healer._

Another inner voice interrupted indignantly. _But he's a Hyuuga soldier! Leave, while you have the chance! It is he who wants to bring you along, and now he surely can't catch you!_

_No. _She ignored and silenced that thought. _He saved my life, if not twice. I owe him. I can heal him_. _I _will_ heal him._

_You f__ool._

Mikan approached Heimao hesitantly, then crouched by him. He had his eyes closed now and didn't seem to notice. Something caught her eye, though, so she peered at the gash to examine it, careful not to touch him. There, lodged deeply in the torn flesh, was something glinting. There was not enough light for her to see anything else properly. She glanced up into his face.

His eyes were open. He was observing her intently. Then to her surprise, another flame was there, floating quite near her, too close for comfort. But now she could examine the wound better. She gave him a look of surprise. Then she peered down through the blood, and saw, lodged deeply in the flesh, a piece of metal.

She sucked in a breath. _Ouch. H__e'll survive__, but that thing __needs to come out__. And he needs immediate care._ She grimaced. _A first aid care in a damp cold cave won't do him much good. But that's all he's going to get._

He was still watching her as she straightened up.

_I don't have my dagger anymore to dislodge that thing...but surely he would have one? _She hesitated, then slowly extended her arm towards his pack.

Heimao did not move.

Taking this as a yes, she took his pack and rummaged through its contents. She brushed her tangled hair out of her vision impatiently.

_Belt, paper, shirt, more shirt, knife, arrow heads..._

"Um...excuse me?"

Mikan paused through her search and turned her head back, her hazel eyes inquiring. Misaki and Tsubasa were both staring at her. Tsubasa had his mouth agape, slowly becoming wider.

Misaki spoke again. "C-can you patch it up? With some bandages?" She hesitantly motioned a wrapping movement with her arms.

Mikan nodded impatiently, and started to rummage through again, her hands fumbling quickly. Then she gave out a small hiss. She drew out her hand which finger now sported a scratch with a tiny welling blood. _Ow! __This Hyuuga soldier is proving his own stupidity by the second! __What kind of a trained soldier doesn't keep his weapons sheathed! _she hissed mentally as she fished out the offending dagger with her other hand.

"Stupid girl. What idiot is confident in her skills of healing when she gives herself a wound before tending the actual patient?"

She glared razor-sharp daggers at her _patient_. First he drops her unceremoniously (on a rather hard rock she might add), and now he insults her! Two fingers held out stiffly, she jabbed in the ribs. He cursed then gave her a _look_.

_Calm Mikan...He's aggravated by the pain. Focus on the cut. _She grimaced, still annoyed. Then taking his pack again, she took out a grubby shirt and shred it with his dagger. Perhaps a bit more vehemently then needed. Anyways, they would serve as temporary bandages. Setting them aside, she looked at the wound again, eyeing it critically with a trained eye.

"Er- I'm guessing you'll need water," came Tsubasa's voice from the right in a helpful tone, mixed with a bit of astonishment. He handed her a water jerkin, filled with rainwater from outside.

She nodded, then poured some onto her hands to clean them, then the wound. It looked good, oozing blood little, not a deadly tide. Heimao uttered no sound. She then eased off his boot, which must have caused him a considerable amount of pain that he did not acknowledge except with a sudden intake of breath, and she slit his already torn pants so she could handle the area better.

"You understand us, don't you?"

Her hands froze momentarily. Then without lifting her head, her hands moved again, and she gave a slight nod of affirmation. Sharp intakes of breath were heard behind her, and a low whistle from Tsubasa.

Heimao had his suspicions confirmed fully when she had jabbed him after his insulting remark. She needed to keep her temper in check. And she had already indicated it a little to his other two companions when she responded to their questions, although it could have been slightly understood by a person who really did not understand the language. Mikan imagined punching her idiotic face mentally. She needed to be more cautious, more _aware_ of her blundering actions that may prove to be fatal.

Well, no use crying over spilt sake. At least she was free from at least one constraint.

She tried to indicate now, gesturing freely with her hands, that there was something inside his leg.

_Piece. Inside wound. Must get out. _She held up the dagger.

It would have helped if he was less stoical. But he responded. "There's something inside the wound."

Mikan nodded.

"So you'll get it out with the dagger."

She nodded. _And it's going to hurt. Tremendously. I wish I have my supply of herbs...a sleeping draught or some chaomile or even a stalk of lavender._ She turned around at the two figures watching silently, still wearing surprised faces. She mimed to them to hold him still.

"I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but-"

"Hold him still?" inquired Misaki.

Mikan nodded. The two came around and settled themselves, one on each side of the patient.

As Tsubasa's hands went to the injured leg, Heimao said, "No need."

Mikan's eyebrows went up. Men indeed were stupid with their injuries they get in battle.

"I'll hold still myself."

Mikan paused, then took hold of the dagger she washed clean before. Then she took a deep breath, and moved the weapon in the injury. She heard him hiss out an oath, another she had not heard before in the Chinese language. Apart from that, his breathing changed, and his skin became clammy and sweaty. But not another sound was heard.

_Must have a lot of determination_, she thought grimly as she tried to quickly dislodge the metal. She wondered why he was trusting her.

Finally, when her hands were both covered with blood up till the wrists, she got the metal out.

Then she cleaned her hands and the cut again with the fresh water. She then took out a spool of normal thread and the only fine needle she had, then took a couple of deep breaths. Then, carefully, she stitched the cut back together, taking her time because her poor hands were not as nimble as they should be, due to its swelling. When she finished, she bit off the thread, poured water on his leg, and wrapped it with the shreds of his shirt.

She happily examined her work. It was the best she could manage.

She lifted her head and saw the gazes of three people on her. Intimidated, she felt her small delight slip away.

"Who are you?" Heimao's voice was level but rough, probably due to the immense ordeal he just went through.

Mikan's face became blank at once, immediately erased of all features. To tell would be part of the forbidden story. She grabbed the bloody dagger so she could cleanse it.

Suddenly, her hand was within the grasp of his hand, a big hand that completely surrounded her own.

"Peasant or wild girls don't hold their head with pride, have skin white as new milk, nor do they know the craft of healing. Yet your hands are like that of a fish wife. "

That was it.

Wrenching her hand from his, she broke down, sinking down on the floor away from him as far as she could get in the tiny space. She wept soundless sobs, her hands covering her face streaking with bitter tears. Mikan was not angry at this Heimao, she was weeping in self-pity. All at once, the exhaustion and pain and shock had come to her. She had enough.

"Good job. Repaying your healer by making her cry."

A grunt was heard. A shuffling was heard, along with another string of curses.

"I'm sorry," Heimao said unexpectantly. He had come forth a little and was watching her.

That did not help much. Mikan could not stop her tears, so she shut him and the others out and wept hard until she was dizzy and saw stars. Then she curled up on the floor and sniffed, closing her eyes.

Everything had been fine. Her mother, Azumi Yuka, had passed away when she was born. Her father heartbroken, did not see much of his children, and focused intently on the feud between the Sakuras and the Hyuugas, riding out with his men to fight each and every battle. After the death of his wife, something died within him as well. Nevertheless, Yukihara Izumi was the second prince of the Sakura kingdom and a well respected man, defending his lands and strengthening his alliances.

And so, with no parental figure, she had six brothers watch over her and love her the way a bunch of boys could. And they did a pretty good job in her opinion.

Toya, the eldest, was a natural leader and fiercesome warrior with his heirloom sword. He even fit the part with his tall stature, regal black eyes, and a voice that held authority. He was highly respected by all and was heir for the throne, as his uncle was childless and his father did not want the position.

Yui was the second son. With a sharp memory and a sense for wandering, it was he who knew the terrains of the Sakura lands best. Alongside his father, he was a valuable tactician. Otherwise, his charismatic smile combined with his fair looks charmed everyone, making him especially popular with the young village girls and children alike.

Next were the twins, Ryuji and Shiki. While Ryuji was the formidable warrior, excelling his skills with his spears, Shiki was the scholar, the knowledgeable one. Yet they both shared their somewhat mischievous humour.

Aloof from others, Juunichi was the closest to her of all brothers. Out of the seven siblings, they shared a special bond that enabled them to communicate with their thoughts, images, and feelings, which they could do with no other. He also had a special talent of his own, his own alice, as that was the label given to special innate gifts. Possessing the sight, he could see ahead and offer warnings to avoid perilous outcomes. It was a rare skill, both burdensome and dangerous.

Haru was the last of her brothers. He was usually occupied in the stables, tending the wounded animals out in the village to fix anything broken. He had the alice, of animal pheromone, which drew some animals near him. It wasn't very strong, but enough to attract more than normal attention from wild creatures.

She sighed as each image of her brother came into her mind. _Toya. Yui. __Ryuji__. Shiki. Juunichi. Haru._

Six brothers. They had been always with her ever since the day she had been born.

And in one instant, because of _her_ -

They had vanished from her side.

* * *

_She_ had come on an ordinary summer day, when the smiling sun was cast its friendly rays and the villagers working hard in their rice fields. Her six brothers were in their private sanctuary, an abandoned bedroom that had been cleared into a great lounging room that was furnished with an unlimited number of pillows carelessly tossed to each and one's own comfort.

Junnichi was leaning against the worn bed, his fingers against his temples, frowning about an ill-omen vision.

Toya was scribbling down important facts for the paperwork while Yui was sat back contently with his long legs laid out, and Ryuji was demanding an I-don't-know-anything- Shiki to give his spear back.

Haru was feeding his little song bird and companion, Tanpopo, humming softly by the window. The yellow and orange bird chirped happily.

That was the painted scenery of the happy siblings when she opened the door. In the next minute, the scene, forever engraved in her mind as the last memory of happiness on her brothers' faces, was shattered into a million pieces.

Her brothers looked up to their sisters' arrival and all their ease flew out the window when they saw her eyes filled with unease.

She had broken the news to them too quietly to be heard, clasping her hands tightly.

They all stared back, uncomprehending. Only Juunichi, able to read her jumbled thoughts, understood. Hos face was set like the mountain stone.

That day, two years ago, two moons before the summer solstice, was when the weavers of fate tangled the fragile threads of humanity. The destruction of the Sakura kingdom set into motion.

* * *

A/N: Check my profile to see when the other chapters have been revised. This chapter's been revised again, along with chapter 3 :)

Note that the brother Shiki is not the Shiki that stays with Yuka in the manga! So there are double names...like the two Misakis (one that sticks with Tsubasa, and the other who has the plant manipulation alice). Sorry for the confusion.

**And could you tell me some pairings that should be here?** Like Ruka x Hotaru...Do people like that pairing? Many say yes, but many also say no. I personally have trouble seeing them together. Depending on what you say, I'll see.

And read my other Gakuen alice fanfic, _Cinderella_!

-_mikancchi_


	6. Chapter 6

**FUKI ENRO**

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Same as usual: Gakuen Alice, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, and Daughter of Forest does not belong to me.

* * *

"WHAT?!"

Mikan winced at the impulsive burst of anger from Ryuji. Expected as it has been from her hot-tempered brother, the sound was alarmingly loud.

"Father has returned with an intended bride from his venture," she restated softly, her gaze fixated down at her wringing hands, unsure of what to feel.

Up on his feet, Ryuji sputtered, his ears red. "But-but how-"

The rest remained frozen, unable to absorb the sudden news at their father's engagement. The silence was broken by a sharp rap and the sliding of the wooden doors.

"Milords and milady, his Highness requires your presences own at the Great Hall," said a kneeling maid. She then slid the doors back to place.

No one moved.

"I did not think he would marry again," stated Shiki heavily. "It seems as I am wrong."

After a few moments of silence, Toya wordlessly got up and strode out the room. Yui followed, with the rest of the siblings reluctantly in tow, one by one. No word was spoken throughout the walk from the corridors to the Great Hall itself. Mikan hesitantly observed her eldest brothers, the two who would have known their late mother best out of all of them. Toya kept a solid stoic mask, his eyes hard and gaze unfaltering. Beside him was Yui, all traces of charm gone, leaving no indication it was there in the first place. Mikan almost shivered at the rare frigidity he displayed. Cold as the icicles that hung from the _kawara_, ceramic roof tiles.

At the main parlour, Yukihara Izumi stood waiting for them, along with their uncle. A figure with shoulder-length aburn hair was also present, but her back was towards them so her face remained a mystery.

The royal children bowed (in Mikan's case, curtseyed) to their father, who gave a small nod of recognition in return. "Father. Uncle Kazu."

Izumi gestured to the woman standing silently beside him. "Children. This is Koizumi Luna. She is to be your new mother."

The woman turned and stepped out of the dark shadows.

She was fair. A curtain of dark, red hair, curling at the ends, swept by her shoulders, and there was a beauty spot on the left side of her chin.

"Ah Izumi! Are these your children?" Koizumi smiled, stretching her painted red lips, sweeping an appraising look at the assembled seven with her bright green eyes. "What a lucky man you are, blessed with six sons, and one sweet daughter," Koizumi cooed innocently, her gaze lingering on Mikan before turning back lovingly at Izumi.

Kazu regally gestured to his nephews in order, in accordance with age. But they were called in pairs, not individually, as if not wanting to direct all the attention to an individual. "This is Toya, the eldest son, and Yui, the second."

Both boys, taller than their father, inclined their heads slightly to the new bride. "The twins, Ryuji and Shiki."

The identical brothers bowed their heads simultaneously, but Mikan did not miss Shiki's long white fingers wrapped firmly on his twin's slightly shaking arm from behind.

"Junnichi. And Haru is the youngest son."

They too bowed. Tanpopo, as if sensing the tension in the air, was silent from his merry chirping and buried his face into Haru's chestnut hair, almost as if the songbird sought to conceal or erase his presence in the vantage point of the predator.

Unfortunately, seven was an odd number. Koizumi turned her full attention on the last child. "And what's your name, dear?"

Her voice was like the trilling of bells, so foreign from any voice Mikan had heard before. Not even Ume, the best singer in court, had a voice so sweet, so _luring_. "M-Mikan," she managed to stutter out with a curtesy, raising the folds of her long cotton kimono. She raised her head again –and almost gasped. It was only an instant, but Mikan saw it as clear as the pure lake waters–the cold emerald eyes, akin to an emerald scaled snake, flashing with immense hostility. She was jolted back to time by a firm pressure on her upper arm. Juunichi had grasped Mikan by the elbow with none too gently and inconspicuously drew her back behind him, using his peculiar skill of silence. However, this gesture did not go unnoticed by the new lady, who slowly stretched her full lips into a sweet, honeying smile.

Thankfully, their uncle set time into motion once again. "Izumi, we need to deal with other affairs with Prime Minister Anjo and the council."

The King rubbed his eyelids wearily. "With Narumi again? I'm sure he's fed up by now with all the wedding preparations. All those legal documents having to be signed."

"But tis for a merry celebration," simpered Koizumi under her long lashes. Izumi gave a slight nod, and the lady slid her arm into his offered arm. "Very well. Let's go Luna."

The three adults left room. The doors slid apart and closed, and the padding of their socked feet on wooden floor gradually faded away.

No one spoke.

Tanpopo's face emerged from its temporary nest of Haru's hair. It flapped its fragile wings uneasily and chirped in short sequences. Haru stroke the agitated little bird with his gentle fingers, soothing it calmly with his low voice, using his alice of animal pheromone.

Mikan looked for a reaction. Surprisingly, it was Yui who spoke first instead of Ryuji.

"She is nothing like mother," said Yui, leaning on the wall, his arms crossed. Toya did not say a word, but his unmoving stoic mask and figure confirmed the statement.

"How could he-how could he even _think _of replacing Mother!" Ryuji finally exploded, shaking off his twin's arm. Tanpopo, startled by the sudden noise, took flight and landed on Mikan's head, hopping madly about.

Mikan gently gathered the bird into her palms and stroked it with one finger, soothing it kindly before the bird was airborne again, flying in wild circles. She herself did not speak, listening first to her brothers' opinions.

"She's not suitable for Father, let alone as the High Queen of the Sakura lands," said Juunichi coldly. Mikan felt his disturbance through their mental connection. It was surprising that he made such a judgement so quickly on a woman he had never met before- he, the seeker of justice.

"No," agreed Shiki, who had been quiet all this time. "She's dangerous."

The words fell onto them heavily. "What do you mean, dangerous?" inquired Ryuji. Shiki did not reply.

But Mikan knew that this woman, no matter the sweet demeanour, was indeed menacing. The fact that it was Shiki who said the unspoken warning made the situation worse. Shiki was the knowledgeable one, the thinker, the wisest of them all. The villagers revered him and spoke of him as the follower of the ancient ones, whatever that meant. Mikan shivered at the flash back of those scary, hostile emerald eyes penetrating her soul. She coiled a strand of her brown hair and tugged, a nervous habit. Letting the tendril go, she opened her mouth. "I have been told that Father lost his ability of emotions, keeping himself silent and resilient after Mother's death. It was her death that made him focus so intently on the feud between our people and the Hyuugas. I would not mind a new stepmother –but this woman…" she trailed off.

"Be careful," said Shiki. "There is something off about her."

* * *

The Lady Koizumi had a tendency to summon them whenever it suited her. Though her manner was unfailingly cordial and sweet, it was made quite clear that disobedience was frowned upon. The King himself enforced this rule, as indeed he seemed to follow her every bidding, every little request. Fortunately for Toya and Yui, they were immersed with the older men, deeply planning their new tactic over scrolls and debating about positioning of troops for the next battle. Shiki, as the scribe, was busy preparing for the wedding held in few days, ordering cooks and maids bustling about. Ryuji and Haru avoided problems by keeping out of her way. When asked, one would be always riding or swinging his spear with the new recruits, and the other was busy in the barn or out in the field somewhere. Juunichi gave no excuse for his unexplained absence; he simply was not there.

Mikan herself made her daily morning trips to the village to tend the sick, sometimes accompanied by Haru who would examine the ailing livestock, or thatch a crumbling roof with his nimble hands. Otherwise, she would tidy her little patch of soil full of life with plants, all with different usages. Being an apprentice of the royal pharmacist Misaki, Mikan would gather necessary leaves and berries for distillery, decoction, grounding, the drying and crushing, and brewing for the wanted remedies under Misaki's guidance. She would also lend a hand in the gardening of the royal Herb Gardens.

"Milady?" It was a very young maidservant, bobbing a small courtesy. "The lady Koizumi wants you straightaway in her chambers," she said uneasily to Mikan, who knelt in the soil with her sleeves rolled up, trimming the wolfberry beds.

Mikan nodded, sweat rolling down her face, gave one last trim, and rose to her feet. She hurriedly cleaned up as best as she could, washing her face and hands and changing out of her filthy worn kimono for a loose garment. Mikan tidied her tangled mass of hair into her usual pigtails and hurried down the corridor. Her heart pounded, thudding heavily in her chest at the sudden call.

Koizumi had been given the best chamber, one that had a pavilion gave view of the sacred lake and caught the warmth of the afternoon sun. Thankfully, Koizumi was not alone. She was waiting with a seamstress Mikan recognized from her frequent excursions to the villages, and two other maids. The room was strewn with rolls of cloth, patterns, obis, and bejewelled ornaments, whose shiny gems caught the light and cast an array of rainbow flickering images on the walls.

"Mikan, my dear, what took you so long?" It was a gentle enough reprimand. Mikan cautiously advanced across the wooden tiles.

"I was working in my garden, my lady. I did not expect to be called." Her reply was steady, and she offered a timid smile.

Koizumi observed her, the bright green eyes traveling up and down, taking in her sweaty appearance, dishevelled hair, and dirty hands. "You are thirteen years old, now. It comes from growing up in a household of boys, I suppose. But we're going to change all that, my dear. We're going to turn you into a fine lady. It's just as well she's not here to see how your upbringing has been sorely neglected."

Deeply insulted, Mikan burst out angrily. "That isn't true! She loved us, and she trusted my brothers to take care of me, like they have!"

Koizumi let out a cascade of trilling laughter. The women behind her shifted uneasily. "Of course you would defend your brothers, your sole companions. But there is nothing like a woman's touch. We must polish you up for the wedding banquet. Now," she went over to bed, where there was a myriad of cloth. She picked up a roll of ivory silk. "I was thinking this one, with a pattern of scattered peony flowers of different colours along with some subdued colours on the outside." The seamstress held out the pattern for Mikan to see. It would be beautiful, fit for the princess with the overall light orange tone.

"I have a suitable kimono for the wedding," interjected Mikan. "I have no need for another."

"I am your mother now, Mikan," said Koizumi with chilling finality. "You are expected to obey me, and I am in charge of your upbringing. You will wear this kimono. Seamstress, take your measurements."

Mikan fell silent. She stood rigidly, arms awkwardly held out as the woman moved here and there to take the measurements. As soon the task was finished, Mikan fled the room.

"Do keep yourself clean for the time being," was Koizumi's parting remark.

* * *

Mikan wanted to talk to Shiki, but he was too busy overseeing the activites that bustled the household. Instead, she sought out Juunichi, who was balanced precariously on the gray roof tiles, staring pensively out to the sacred lake and onwards, where the sacred Shinto temple lay. She climbed up the steps and set herself next to him, drawing up her knees to her chest and feeling the warm, sunny breeze shifting her two pigtails. His mind was shut out to her, something he had become quite skilled at, so she could not tell what he was thinking.

"What are you thinking about?"

_Tell me what you see_.

She could not push past the barriers that was walled up.

_I can't share this with you, Mikan. It will frighten you._

Mikan frowned. _It's hard enough already with Lady Koizumi. Must we keep secrets?_

She caught a brief image of her as a child, running with her hair streaming wildly behind, and being thrust into the air by Yui. Then a whistling of air, the sensation of running swiftly, then falling, then an intense cold.

Then it stopped, and she felt herself once again shut out. Mikan was confused with this jumbled array of thoughts, but knew his alice of clairvoyance had revealed nothing of good news. She reluctantly kept her mouth shut. Sometimes, it was better to not know what lies ahead.

Finally, Juunichi parted his eyelids. "The woman puts this castle in a disarray."

"She frightens me. Her eyes aren't normal," she added. She was starting to have nightmares of emerald snakes, coiling around her petrified body.

Juunichi sighed. "Shiki told me to convey a message: be watchful of her."

Mikan snorted. "That much I know already, nii-sama. But," she became serious, "who is she? Why did she come here?"

"I don't know. Shiki says we must wait. The marriage will happen, whether we like it or not. After the marriage, perhaps she will reveal her true intentions."

Mikan frowned. She stretched her arms high, being careful not to upset her balance. "You say Shiki this, Shiki that. He's only a few years older than you. Plus, how does he know so much?"

"He's different from us, Mikan. When you were still a baby, Priestess Shoshi came to see us all, and saw Shiki. She knew he was different. Where do you think he goes and why do you think he can interpret the signs of nature so well? He is a follower of the ancient gods."

Mikan was a bit taken aback at this newfound knowledge of her brother. "You mean he's a monk?" she whispered. "One of the blessed ones touched by the gods?"

"He'll undertake training to become the next High Priest." Junnichi's gaze sharpened. "And be careful of Koizumi. Take Shiki's warning to heart. Don't reveal anything to her."

Mikan caught a fleeting image of an ancient cherry blossom tree from his mind.

_I won't._

* * *

The remaining days passed quickly, and thus came the wedding day. Mikan stood in her newly made kimono while Lady Koizumi ran a comb through her long brown hair. Mikan silently watched their reflections on the polished mirror. She looked like one of her _ningyo_, a traditional Japanese doll elaborately costumed and painted delicately.

"Oh that looks much better," said Koizumi lightly, herself in the traditional pure white bride dress, _shiro-maku_. It contrasted severely with her tendrils of dark red, piled amass high upon her head, covered by her white wedding hood, _tsuno-kakushi_.

"Now tell me about the twins. I've never seen two brothers look so alike, two peas in a pod, yet so different! Ryuji's a charming boy, soon to become a warrior. But Shiki, his twin –very reserved, no? His actions, at least, seems to prove a different future in mind.I wonder what?"

Mikan made no comment, making sure her mouth was sealed shut. Shiki had warned them of Koizumi's alluring ways. The seamstress' lips were thin.

"He seems to disapprove me. But I'm quite interested in his single resolve to keep this household running, such a rare quality for one so young. Do you think he's jealous of the attention his twin gets for his warrior spirit?"

_She sees so much, but so little._ "We do not get jealous at each other, milady. He merely has his own path."

"And what is this path of his, Mikan? Surely he does not wish to become a steward of this palace for life?" Koizumi turned, facing Mikan, eye to eye, bright green to chestnut brown.

Mikan stared into those green orbs, transfixed. "He…"

There was a heavy thud –a roll of cloth fell. The maidservant apologized for her clumsiness.

"I do not know," said Mikan hastily. She broke the gaze, averting her eyes away. It was almost as if she _knew_, all the secrets. And she had almost let her tongue slip!

"You are hesitant to talk, my child, but how can I be a good mother if I don't know the children?" Koizumi resumed combing her hair in long strokes. "What of the youngest child, Haru? I do ever hardly see him."

Mikan decided it was a harmless question. "He's usually out in the old barn, tending the injured animals, setting their bones straight. He has the alice of animal pheromone, drawing them near. He has deft hands, and can build anything." She grinned, remembering that it was he who fashioned her wooden hoe for her garden.

"I see." Koizumi put the comb down. "Your hair's finished. You shall wear it like this from now on, down and not in those pigtails. You are thirteen, a young woman. In a few years time, you shall be married to another lord to strengthen the alliances between neighbouring turfs."

Mikan could not hide her expression of horror. _Marriage? _She did not even think of that concept yet, so foreign to her though the whole palace had been turned upside-down due to this wedding.

A maid slid the door open, and Koizumi stepped out into the corridor to join her husband in the reception, where there were a bustling number of guests to be received. "You shall join me later while I go to your father now." Koizumi's dark red tendrils disappeared behind the closed doors.

"You look just like your mother."

Mikan whipped her head around, but Koizumi's feet were already moving down the hallway. She was alone in Koizumi's chamber.

"But how could she know how my mother looks like?" asked Mikan out aloud, with no answer to be heard. _I must have heard something wrong_. She slid open the doors and struggled to walk in her heavy attire, to join the wedding feast.

* * *

After the exchange of the sake, they were married. Yukihara Izumi looked at Koizumi has if there were no other soul in the world, while the guests, men in garrison, servants and villagers muttered under their breath to each other. Mikan and her brothers stood in a line, watching silently. But to Mikan, it did not seem to be a proper ceremony at all. For some reason, Izumi did not venture out to the holy shrine behind the sacred lake to receive the blessing of the gods with his new wife, as it was traditionally done. Even Priestess Shoshi, the High Priestess of the Sakura lands, was not there to perform the ceremony. It was done inside the palace in the Great Hall, instead of outside under the ancient Sakura tree. Nor were there much merriment, music, or dancing. A feast followed, as required, and the guests busied themselves with the sake and delicious pleasantries.

And then everything changed.

* * *

Mikan burst through the clearing and allowed herself a small respite as the castle came in sight from the glow of the flickering fire posted by the watchmen in the darkness. But a second later, she was off again, her legs working furiously.

She was _late!_ Oh, the forbidden terror. She clutched the folds of her kimono up high so that she wouldn't trip, although her long hair would still complete the task as it obscured her vision. As it kept slapping her face, she grimaced and thought exactly _why _she was not allowed to wear her hair in her usual pigtails any more. Scowling, she swatted at the mass of hair as if it were a fly. Her life, from her the tips of her toenails to the crown of her head was now controlled by the lady of the house. A woman who has been in the household for just three months had so much power over her free will. How unfair.

Mikan ran past the gates and around the back. "Hime!" Umi, her private maidservant, ran towards her, her eyes holding obvious relief but looked at her disapprovingly. "Hime, where have you been! I have been searching for you since the sun began to set and the sky became pink!"

Mikan wore a sheepish look. "Well, you see, I was in my garden, then I went to tend the villagers, then I took a shortcut through the forest-"

Umi squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head in exasperation. "Nevermind, just please hurry off to-" She stopped short, getting a good long look at her princess' state as they stepped inside the castle and into the light.

Mikan was panting heavily, wearing an ankle-length kimono with a long rip on the side with brown mud flung here and there –it was impossible to know that she even resided within the royal castle. She looked more like a filthy vagrant who kept half of the forest on her. Her long hair was tangled in every place imaginable and resembled a bird nest, her fingernails bore black dirt under the nails, and her feet were caked with muddy soil.

And to top it all off, she was _soaked. _

"Princess!" Umi shrieked in horror, throwing her arms in the air dramatically with her long black hair flying outwards, "what on earth have you been _doing_!" Her eyes were grandiose, strikingly black against her pallor skin.

Mikan shifted her weight from one leg to another, her thumbs twiddling. "_We-el_, you see, I was reaching up to pick a crab apple from this tree -it was a beautiful shade of red and looked so delicious and I was hungry since it's dinner time but the tree was very tall so I had to be on the tips of my toes and I kinda _fell over…_into the stream that ran right beside the apple tree?" She scratched her head and gave a small awkward laugh.

Umi closed her eyes, her hands clenched into fists by her side. She gritted her teeth audibly, like a wolf. "Hime- do you realize- you know _not _to- please-" She made one exasperated noise and threw her an extremely annoyed look. "Go up to your room and please change quickly! _Now_!"

Mikan hurried to her room, grateful that she had escaped Umi's special manifesto about wardrobes and the proper behaviour of a princess. ("You are not a heathen! You are a _princess_, a _noble_ princess of the Sakura lands, blessed by the gods! Such an honour that you must not sully and bring shame to your name! You must maintain elegance in every step you take with your _stocking-ed _feet, every fluid notion made with your dainty fingers! You shall don your silk kimonos with beautiful patterns, illustrating your grace and beauty to the citizens, who love you! What a shock it would bring if they realize that their hard-earned tax money went into refurnishing their princess' wardrobe!")

Umi was nice, but sometimes she was like a guard dog in the shadows, observing every action she took. She even barked her orders.

"And do something about your hair!"

Mikan slid out of her ripped attire, picked out a clean black kimono embroidered with swallowtail butterfly wings of all sizes and colours, struggled to tie her obi into the proper knot, yanked a comb through her unruly hair, scrubbed her hands clean, and sprinted to the dining room, skidding on the polished wooden floor. God of speed was with her and thus Mikan managed to escape the furious unleashing of Umi's wrath. It was too bad her maid's personality was the exact opposite of her elder sister, Ume, the Sakura land's best singer. Umi was hot-tempered and hard to please while Ume spoke no harsh tones, her kind voice soft and soothing like a lullaby.

Mikan skidded to a stop in front of a particular room and took a deep breath. She patted her hair, frowned, then quickly tied it up in the neatest ponytail she could manage using a ribbon from her obi. Although Koizumi would disapprove, having her hair down was not an option since it looked like a wild bird's nest. It definitely needed a good brush. Then, taking a deep breath, she slid open the door, clasped her hands and bowed, bending over perfectly 90 degrees at the waist. "I'm very sorry for my tardiness!" Mikan said, looking down at her knees, specifically the outline of a yellow swallowtail's wing.

She heard a small sigh. "Mikan, please try not to be late for dinner."

The tone was disapproving and reprimanding. But she was excused. Mikan let out an inaudible sigh of relief.

"Yes, I apologize Father."

The clatter of chopsticks and ceramic bowls resumed. Without raising her head, Mikan shuffled her way through to her _hakozen_ –the individual low dining table.

"Stop going into the forest before dinnertime," Haru whispered to her as she sat and picked up her chopsticks. "And you ought to take a boat with you on your next trip.

Though he was focused on his _yakizakana_, grilled red herring, she could literally feel the telltale grin radiating from his face. A provoking action. "It was an accident!" she retorted indignantly, a bit too loudly.

Koizumi turned her wide green eyes in her direction, chilling to the core. Mikan quickly bowed her head and resumed eating, scooping her slightly cold rice and chewing her pickled radishes with perhaps much more enthusiasm than needed.

Over the months, Mikan had figured a bit about her stepmother's personality. Koizumi Luna was never outrightly hostile. She cordial enough, but the intentions were still there and clear as the reflection of a mirror. Those eyes, green like the reflection of a pond, gleamed maliciously. Mikan definitely did not want to experience the true person of Koizumi under all those layers of false pretense.

"Mikan, the chief pharmacist asked you to check on the Third Herb garden tonight," said Yui suddenly, thoughtfully chewing.

"He did?" It was a great excuse to miss out on embroidery lesson with her new stepmother.

Koizumi looked up at the sudden start of a conversation. Yui kept chewing nonchalantly, but Mikan closed her mouth. One could almost hear the unspoken command. _Meals should be held in silence._

Mikan looked down at her red bowl, almost empty of its rice. She mournfully gazed at her miso soup and back to her rice. If alone with her brothers, she would finish by pouring the soup onto the rice and eating the stirred broth, but it was now forbidden. It was bad table manners. ("My, the woes of growing up in an household of men!") Mikan inwardly rolled her eyes and turned to the King. "May I be excused?" she asked in a polite, but hopeful tone.

There was no response. Izumi's full attention was on the untouched bowl of rice set in front of him. His chopsticks weren't even raised. Mikan frowned. "Father?" she tentatively tried again.

"Hmm?" Izumi looked up dazedly. The dark circles under his blank eyes were alarming, a stark contrast from his already pale skin.

"Did you say something?" he sighed out. Koizumi was looking at her again, her full gaze showing disapproval, or simply, _shut up_.

"May I be excused?" she repeated.

"Yes, yes," Izumi waved his hand at her, dismissive, "go ahead." He suddenly then seemed to realize that there was a full tray of food laid before him. He raised his chopsticks, raised a single strand of _udon_ noodle, put it into his mouth, and set down his eating utensil again. He chewed mechanically then was silent, returning to his original vacant look.

Her brothers and she shared a look. Yukihara Izumi usually did not allow members of the family to be excused so in such a carefree manner. The pattern was for one to ask to be excused, then Izumi demand why, then listen to the explanation. Usually, he did not excuse members for missing dinner, a rare family gathering. He didn't even spare a glance at his sweet potato tempura, what Mikan presumed to be his favourite by observation. But he seemed tired, more than the usual.

After shooting another anxious glance at Izumi, Mikan rose and slipped out of the dining room.

* * *

The cool night breeze felt heavenly against her face. Umi had intently watched Mikan change into a plainer, preferably _brown _(to cover any mud and soil) kimono before she ventured out anywhere from Umi's sight. Umi lectured that royal kimonos were expensive and should be well-treated. Plus, silk was especially hard to clean. She most likely had no intention of go through the fuss of having the princess fit for another kimono, which usually ends with many bloody pinpricks and one furious tailor stomping out muttering curses like his favourite -_bloody bastard spawns of haughty rich royals._

Mikan briskly set pace, being careful of where she set her foot. She had already tripped three times; thus she reprimanded herself for being a fool to not bring a torch to light her way. Again.

These days, she worked with the chief pharmacist Misaki, a lot. From the time she was a small child able to toddle her way, she would venture into the library with Shiki and unroll the fragile, spidery scrolls containing knowledge of herbs. When she finished scrounging through each and every scribble and had memorized each and every recipe, she had asked Haru for some seeds to start her own little herb garden. Her youngest brother always had some as presents from his daily animal friends. She got her own collection of lavender, chamomile, clove flowers, ginseng, even rare Chinese bellflowers, and medicinal mushrooms like Shitake.

Little MIkan had also run around peering into the royal Herb Gardens and chatting with the palace pharmacists. Secretively in the night she would infiltrate their workplace and read the precious books. Misaki found her in the morning, sleeping and curled around _Uses of ginseng_. Misaki woke her up (Mikan freaked out of course) and he had asked if she wanted to learn more about herbology. Thus, she became the pharmacist's apprentice, working under Misaki's gaze while brewing concoctions, preserving and drying the herbs, conjuring up numerous antidotes, and preparing salves. Medicine interested her more than any other things that she knew, especially things like tireless tea ceremony or flower arrangement. She snorted at the latter. _Flower arrangement._ One should put better use of his time by knowing the proper usages of such plant which may cure certain ailments in times of peril. Though Umi had grudgingly convinced her that the sight of perfectly orchestrated beauties may cure ailments of the mind.

Mikan halted by a small slope. An ancient wooden cabin stood there alone with two guards holding spears. But upon closer look, these armour-clad men were at the least intimidating. Mikan frowned as she observed their drooling states. They were sound asleep! Their heads were nodding off to their chest. One guard gave an interesting noise like a donkey.

"Hello?" Mikan said, wondering to be amused or annoyed.

Both soldiers' eyes simultaneously snapped open in alarm. Within a second, they regained their stiff imperious posture, their backs straight with chins up and arms rigid by their side,. "Yes Sakura-hime!" they barked. The two guards remained rigid in the posture. But their eyes darted nervously to their princess, who was staring at them disapprovingly, hands on her hips.

Mikan inwardly let out a small giggle. She made a mental note to make some decoctions, energy restoring potions for the night guards. The thought of a snoring donkey guarding a garden full of dangerous plants twitched the corner of her lips. "May I go in please?"

"As you command." With the correct key, the guard on the left undid the lock and pulled open the doors to the hut with a creak.

Smiling a thank you, she walked in to the dusty little cabin. She peered through the darkness. Other than the numerous ceramic jars neatly lined up and full sacks piled everywhere, there were scrolls arranged neatly on the shelf to her left. Squinting to find the right label, she trailed her fingers until she found the scroll she wanted. From another cabinet she took out a thin brush with an ink pot. After gathering all these things in her arms, she made her way out the back door.

The crescent moon shone down at the land where the greenery sprouted in neat rows. Mikan tread down the rickety wooden stairs carefully.

"Now, let's see...This one needs more soil...and this one needs more water," she muttered to herself, checking each plant carefully, sometimes lifting one leaf to examine its colour. "Mm, this is ready to be picked!" She recorded what she was saying on the scroll, dipping the brush lightly in the ink.

"Oh, shoot!" Clumsy as she was, she had accidentally drawn a streak of black across her sleeve. Today was not her day. Good thing it wasn't white. She sighed sadly. "I'm going to have to listen to Umi's barking again..." She felt a bit guilty about how the villagers' tax money was being used, then continued down the row, holding the ink slightly away from her like a hot iron poker.

One tall sprout caught her attention. "This one seems to be dying a bit..." She pulled off several brown leaves of the stem of a. She made a mental note to tell Misaki personally. He had the alice of plant manipulation which was definitely be useful with medical gardens.

After a while, she stood up, stretching her back with a huge yawn. "Right, I'm done." She dusted off her kimono and picked up her tools.

"Hello Mikan-hime."

She spun around, surprised to be greeted by the sight of her stepmother's figure in her royal attire. "Oh!" She bowed. "Um, good evening."

Koizumi's eyes narrowed a bit with her smile intact. All wide lips. Her expression sweetly rueful with a twinge of annoyance. "Dear, how am I going to get close to each and every one of you if none of you call me as Mother? It has been three full moons since the wedding!"

Mikan did not want to call her Mother yet, but she did not want to anger her. She clenched her fist. "Yes, I apologize, Kaa-sama."

Koizumi looked around, those green eyes sweeping and missing nothing. "You tend the garden?"

"Yes."

"Are these all medical plants?"

Another yes.

"For which ailment?"

She wondered the purpose of the flooding storm of questions. "All the plants here are different and differ in their usages. But the Third Herb Garden holds the plants that are dangerous themselves."

This was the reason for the posted guards -to make sure nobody tampered with these herb; the patient would get seriously ill if given the wrong dosage. Many plants were double-edged.

Koizumi just stared at the herbs keenly, as if searching. Mikan watched her quietly. "Are you not feeling well? Perhaps I could brew a concoction for you-"

"Oh, no child, I'm well. Not to worry, just asking out of curiosity." Koizumi gave her a warm smile, her green eyes glittering. But still, all wide lips.

"But Mikan, dear, you need to stop doing this. The servants here are hired to carry out these tasks. It is inappropriate of a girl your age to be here, trudging in the soil and pulling out weeds. Not only that, you were late to dinner today. Out in the village, weren't you?"

Mikan's eyes widened. Before she had a chance to batter with an argument, Koizumi continued.

"You must practice ladylike behaviour. Elegance, grace, and beauty. Poor girl, bereft of a mother. Now that I'm here, your upbringing will be taken care of. Music and embroidery. That's what you will do. I'm afraid your embroidery skills are in need of great work. Come to my chambers straight after breakfast; we have much to catch upon."

Mikan was shocked. Shocked to the bones, and couldn't stutter a reply. Her heart thudded loudly as her mind processed what she had said.

_No gardening? It-it is my life, herbalism is my craft, she cannot take this away from me!_

"But-"

Koizumi turned to her, and Mikan quailed at her cold gaze. "I am your mother, and you are expected to obey me," she said with a chilling finality. "Your upbringing is in my charge, and you will do as I say. So, you will stop this childish play and learn how to play musical instruments and spend time sewing and embroidering like a proper lady at your age."

Silence hammered down on Mikan. Her mind replayed over and over what she had just heard. _Stop. Inappropriate. You will do as I say._

Then those bottle green eyes cleared of all animosity. "I came here to tell you that your brother is looking for you."

She managed to find her voice and regain some front of her cheerful demeanour. "Th-thank you for delivering the message." She rambled on, but her gaze was still on her feet. "I'm sorry you had to come all the way here; my brother should have asked a page instead. You must be very tired."

"Not at all, dear, I wanted explore the palace grounds, especially such an _useful_ garden." There was a momentary pause. "You should go now Mikan. Your brother is waiting."

"Ah, yes. Then I shall take my leave, Kaa-sama." Mikan bowed, then clutching the scroll and the ink pot tightly, not caring about the fresh set of black spots on her kimono, she scurried up the rickety wooden stairs that moaned under her weight. But before she entered the cabin, something urged her to look back. Koizumi was standing still, back towards her, her cloud of dark red hair around her ominously. When Mikan saw her head tilt to her direction, she quickly went in the cabin.

She stored away the scroll and ink in their respective cubbies, then walked out quickly, not wanting another confrontation with _Mother._

"Thank you for hard your work, guard-san," she said, walking away to the castle.

Hearing no response added to her irritability. "First you sleep, now you ignore me-"

She whirled around to give the guards a _look_. They were in their rigid postures, the same ones as she had seen before she had left them. She walked towards them and waved a hand in front of the guard on her left. "Hello?"

There was no response, not even a blink. She frowned. Do guards sleep with their eyes open now? A good tactic, that one. She tapped him on the shoulder. "Mr. Guard!"

As soon as she touched him, he jolted awake as if he had been in a trance. "Huh? P-princess!" he spluttered.

"You know, you shouldn't sleep on duty," she said sternly, her eyebrows set. It was herduty as the daughter of Yukihara Izumi to live up to her title.

The guard gulped. "Yes! My apologies."

The guard was so flustered as if she would eat him right there and then. "Could you wake him up as well?" she asked, gesturing to the still guard to her right.

"Y-yes." He almost ran over to him and tapped the shoulder. "Oi! Kyo! Wake up!"  
Kyo remained in his stupor.

"Kyo!" he hissed, "the _princess _is here! Wake up!" However, there was no reaction whatsoever.

Mikan walked over and poked him hard on the chest. The guard jerked awake, much like his friend. "You are a very heavy sleeper, guard-san."

The guard turned bright red. "I-I'm v-v-very sorry Hime-sama! I don't know what came over me, I-"

"Please don't fall asleep again!" After a slight reprimand, she walked off, waving a good bye. However much she scolded, she would always end off in a good note.

She collected her thoughts again, replaying the scene in the garden. _She tells me to stop my work! And commands my obedience! _The more she thought, the angrier she started to get. How dare she try to unravel the time she spent studying _kampo, _the art of medicine, and stitch her back up with _ladylike _skills?! Not only that, but for the past three months, Koizumi had had her wardrobe stripped and redone, leaving her no plain cotton gown to wear for outdoors. Not only that, she made her attend all those stupid social gatherings! Surrounded by whimsical, selfish and stupid old ladies with their stupid snobbish daughters as her only companions. Well, they weren't all bad, but still.

And the worst was that the weekly visits she had made to the villagers to attend their ailments were forcibly stopped. _It is inappropriate for the princess to meddle herself in commoners' affairs and wander about like a tinker's child. _That was her explanation. But she had already broken that rule many times. How was she to ignore a plea for help from a small child, wailing about her grandmother's ongoing fever? Or the newborn babe that remained sickly, or the farmer with a broken leg? No one else had the skills she had.

She sighed. Koizumi Luna was turning her life upside down. _But there is no way I'm giving this up. _She decided to not think of this right now. She turned her thoughts elsewhere.

Then a thought came to her, making her quizzical. _I forgot to ask how Koizumi entered. Only me, the chief pharmacist, and the medical assistants are allowed in to the medical herb gardens. _They all had to carry a pass signifying that they had permission to enter, save for herself since everybody recognized her face.

_Perhaps she was let in because she's part of the royal family now._ She frowned. _I'll ask her later._

She hurried off, wondering which brother had asked for her.

Mikan ran through the corridors of the castle, and bumped into someone in the corner.

"Oops! I'm very sorry -nii-sama!"

Shiki looked down at her sprawled figure. "Clumsy as always, Mikan." He grinned widely.

She hmphed. "Right. Anyway, were you the one who called for me?"

He frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Kaa-sama told me that one of you wanted to see me."

His eyebrows quirked. "Kaa-sama?"

She sighed. "She told me to call her that."

"Really."

She punched his arm lightly. "Geesh nii-sama, you should try to like her at least. You're the one who told me it was wrong for people to judge others without meeting the person first."

His clear eyes held a spark. "And so I did. But this is a different case." His eyes changed to a darker shade.

"Anyway, was it you?"

He shook his head.

"Shiki!" It was Ryuji, running up to them waving his spear in the air. "They caught a prisoner!"

Mikan's eyebrows shot up. "Prisoner?"

"From the Hyuuga lands." It was Shiki who spoke. He started to walk after Ryuji briskly. Mikan needed no telling to stay behind –their brothers were accustomed to that fact. She hurried after the identical pair, swatting at her hair again.

They saw their uncle and father, along with Toya, standing and looking grim.

Two guards were holding a hooded figure. Unlike most of the other captives that she had seen before, this one remained still and quiet.

"A prisoner," Yukihara said, his eyes sharp enough to make anyone cower before him. "And a silent one at that. Kazu, does he have an alice?"

Yukihara Kazu who had the alice of alice detection stared at the hooded figure. "No," he said quietly.

The King closed his eyes, frustrated.

Toya frowned. "Take off his hood," he ordered the guards.

The one on the left flung the hood back, revealing a girl around the same age as herself. Mikan suppressed a gasp. Weren't all soldiers at least boys?  
The captive looked intimidated but held her angry gaze at Yukihara, her crimson eyes flashing.

But there also seemed to be fear.

"A wench," declared the guard on her right. "But definitely one of the Hyuuga people. She was wondering through the forest, no doubt looking for her next victim to succumb to her wicked spells to exploit our secrets."

Echoes of _witch_ reverberated through the air.

"What are you doing here?" questioned Toya. His gaze would not soften merely at the sight of a girl. The code was all Hyuugas were enemies.

When the prisoner did not answer, the soldiers who were holding her twisted one of her arms. She let out a sharp cry of pain. Her head was down, and the only signs of life was displayed by her irregular breathing.

Everyone stared intently at the prisoner. It was rare that a Hyuuga soldier would breach through their defences, more or less a young girl.

"She's a young girl –she wouldn't know anything," said their uncle. "Izumi?"

"True." Their father closed his eyes wearily. "Take her away and lock her in the dungeons. We can't let any information seeping back to the Hyuugas."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The two guards then proceeded to drag the prisoner out of the room.

"Izumi."

"I'm fine," said Yukihara. He face was pale and drawn. When he stood up, he stumbled a bit.

"Tou-sama!" Mikan ran towards him. "Are you ill?"

"No, I'm a bit dizzy. I will retire to my chambers. Good night Mikan-hime." He left with his brother, half leaning for support.

She looked at her father worriedly.

"Mikan, I want to talk to you," Juunichi said in undertones.

Then, pulling her by the arm, he said, "Good night, brothers."

Before she could also say her good nights, she was dragged out into the corridor and jerked along by her brother.

She tripped several times on the hem of her long gown until she was pulled into his room.

Juunichi slid the door closed behind them.

"What's wrong Nii-sama?" she asked, confused at his strange behaviour.

His cool grey eyes stared into her own brown ones. "I want you to help me."

"With what?"

"I want you to poison the guards of the dungeon."

Her eyes widened. _What was her brother saying?! Poison their own men?_

"I saw her in my visions. I knew she would be caught by our soldiers. We have to free her; she is an innocent girl, and an important ally.

"What are you talking about? First, no Hyuuga people are allies!" Young as she was, she was not ignorant of her country's own turmoil.

"No," he said quietly. "But this girl may turn out to be so. The princess of the Hyuuga lands."

* * *

A/N: Hi, mikancchi is back! Sorry for the long wait. So for an apology, this chapter is a very, _very _long one. It's over 8,000 words (that's over 19 pages on Microsoft Word folks), so I deserve some good reviews!

The next chapter will also be a part of this flashback scene. If anyone is confused, just add it as a note for the review. Basically, Mikan has six brothers. Her mother, Azumi Yuka, is deceased and her father, Yukihara Izumi re-marries to Koizumi Luna (uh oh O.O). And the princess of the Hyuuga lands has made her appearance! Anyone know who she is? (lol though it's very obvious)

And no one told me what other characters' roles should be...like **Hotaru and Ruka's** roles! Should they be married, or friends, or what? (nemesis? enemies? XD) I need to know please.

And yes, I'm over 100 reviews now :) But I lost the bet anyhows...T_T

Don't forget to **review**! Constructive criticism please.

_-mikancchi_


	7. Chapter 7

**FUKI ENRO**

CHAPTER SEVEN

Disclaimer: Daughter of the forest, Gakuen Alice, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles do not belong to me.

Mikan gaped at her brother. The words reiterated themselves in her head like the gongs of a drum as she processed them in slowly.

"The captive is Hyuuga Aoi, second child to the Queen, princess of the Hyuuga country."

Juunichi wouldn't lie to her. But still, this did not make any sense. "But-but how can that be? How was she caught?" she asked.

"I don't know. All I'm sure of is that her identity must be hidden while her presence remains in the Sakura country." _Or else she will be tortured cruelly for military information or be held hostage under hostile conditions_.

The unsaid words hung heavily in the air. Juunichi did not move from his position by the window, nor did he open his eyes throughout this whole conversation. Mikan stared at him openly. Processing the shock of the situation, Mikan gathered her thoughts together as if she was stitching each memory fragment in chronological sequence. Tonight, an intruder was caught. The captive was being dragged into the dungeons. The captive was a thin female, not a brawny soldier. The captive was Hyuuga Aoi, sole princess of their enemy's land.

Oh.

_Oh._

Realization of the crisis started to diffuse inside her chest. One gray eye watched her as she stood silently, her skin stark white.

"We need to get her out of this place and return to her country safely as soon as possible."

By this point, Mikan was staggered to the extremity and did not catch the treacherous meaning of his words. Her confusion made her next words be stuttered wildly. "Wh-what and- and, no, but- she's locked in the -"

"That's why I need your help," he said quietly. He needed not to listen to her words –he understood enough from the various snitches of images each thought provoked inside Mikan's head. This went for Mikan as well.

She blinked, her throat suddenly gone dry as she understood what her brother was planning to do. She swallowed thickly. "Nii-sama. Are you suggesting –"

"Mikan, do you even know why we are fighting against the Hyuuga people?"

She drew her breath to reply, then paused. She summoned up her scanty knowledge of war history, then, in surprise, shook her head. In truth, her people had been fighting with the Hyuugas ever since she could walk, and thus accepted this war into her life as a part of her daily routine, common as hanging up the wet linen on the clothesline or watching the change of guards. She frowned and wondered why she had never questioned this _normality _in the past.

"The Hyuuga people, they call themselves the Mudan. This is a knowledge that most of us do not know, even though we have been fighting before grandfather's time, before great-grandfather's time."

_More than a century's worth of bloodshed, _thought Mikan.

"Even after so much fighting, we don't even know their proper name. What does that tell us? Probably, we have neither tried to talk nor establish an armistice. Even if there was an attempt, why did no one write down any records of it, nor a compilation of information of the enemy country? I searched every scroll in the _Kokuritsu Kokkai Toshokan_, the National Diet Library." He paused, motionless against the wall. Although his quiet words were uttered without any emotion that may give bias to Mikan, she felt each word stirring up akin to feelings inside her. "Did you know that the Z zone area bordering our land was actually part of our country, as well as the Mudan country? Sometime during the war, it was all burnt down... razed every last tree and every last glade of grass, and the Z zone now is known as a desert."

"Most of us don't even know why we are fighting. _I_ don't know why we are fighting. This feud is something of an ancient unknown origin, but I know that this war has deviated from its initial purpose. What do we know about those men with their strange tongue? The Hyuuga people are accursed devils, having no mercy and killing everything in sight. This is what was taught to each child in our country, to fear and hate these people. That girl hardly did neither. She had no trick up her sleeve, nor used any other means to bewitch any guard to earn her escape. These false rumors invigorate this uneeded and foolish war."

At last he moved, straightening to his full height and leaving his place by the window. He walked slowly, ambling, and stopped right in front of her. His gray eyes pierced her own brown ones and held the gaze just as intently his hands were gripping her around her arms.

"This war needs to stop. Father's cousins all perished because of this war, and so did his father and those before him. Our own brothers are now marching off to war. If one of them were to-"

Mikan squeezed her eyes shut and pressed the palms of her hands to her ears. "Nii-sama! Stop it! Don't say such things!"

"The princess needs to escape. It's not only to save her –it's to save everyone. Including ourselves, and our family, and our people. She may prove to be a vital key in stopping this foolish war."

Mikan knew that her brother was right. Annoyingly, he was alwaysright for some reason. It was his God-given gift. She gave up arguing and let out a reluctant small sigh. "What do I need to do?"

"I need you to poison the guards."

Mikan spluttered at the thought. _"What?"_

Her brother just observed her reaction calmly, a poker face with no emotions. His voice did not even waver as he said the preposterous idea.

"I can't do that." Mikan shook her head furiously without hesitation. "I'm not going to kill our own men!" The image of motionless guards, eyes unseeing yet staring at the ceiling… She shivered vehemently as the images of death poured into her mind and instinctively hugged herself. She was by no means inexperienced with death –it was one of the prevailing consequences that came with being a healer, and she felt the sorrow with the lost patient's grieving family.

"I'm not asking you to kill, Mikan. Just a draft of something, preferably clear and tasteless, to slip into the men's drink which will knock them out. The girl, though the men were told to just lock her up, will probably…" He trailed off. Confused, Mikan tuned into his thoughts. Flickering flames, a glowing brazier, scent of burned skin, a terrible scream…

With a cry, Mikan retreated back to the safety of her own mind. Juunichi winced –probably both at the sudden noise and the nightmarish thought.

Though she was not yet an adult, she was familiar with the workings of war. There would be consequences, justified or not. "But…what if the guards are to be blamed for the prisoner's escape?"

Her brother slid his eyes out the small window to the night sky. His voice was steady, a monotonous undertone. "A beating maybe. At worst, exile. But don't think about that Mikan." He turned his head back around to face her once again. "You heard what Father said, no one thinks she's important. Mikan, you saw her –she's not a soldier and is the same age as you, perhaps even younger. An innocent child." This time, he held her gaze, demanding full attention, even drawing power through their mental connection. Although his hands were by his sides, Mikan felt as if they were firmly situated on her shoulders. "Will you do it?"

Mikan looked down at her hands. Smooth white skin without a single trace of a blue vein. Will she be able to take on this task? She calmed her mind, evoking the scene when the prisoner shoved to her knees in front of her father. Those exquisite ruby eyes with stubbornness laced with _fear_…

Mikan drew up her chin. "Yes, I will help."

Juunichi smiled at her. A rare genuine expression she had seen in a long time. "Thanks Mikan. Can you make the brew it by dawn?"

She nodded her head slowly, already thinking of the ingredients she needed. "Yes, I'm sure I can. I can make it within two hours."

"Good. The sooner she's gone, the better it is. Four hours from now, before the guards change shifts, slip the draft into their sake. They always drink some liquor before they start their post. Wait for me at the back entrance-the broken down one, the one the guards don't use.

She nodded, then went for a small hug. He held her tight, close to him, and she buried her face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his familiar brotherly scent. "Be careful," she whispered to him as she slipped out of his room.

She slid the doors shut softly and quickly made haste down the hallway. With only a small stop in her own room to grab some essentials, she hurried along the maze of the palace she was well acquainted to, then left the building by the closest exit to her destination.

She ran to the First Herb Garden, where she knew poppy, valerian roots, and wolfsbane, or monkshood, grew. Poppy seeds with the valerian roots mixed with alcohol would produce heavy sleeping effects, and the wolfsbane would make them nauseous.

A sudden sharp sound broke the stillness of the night. It was a snap of a broken twig. Abruptly, Mikan skidded to a halt. When she saw a shadow looming around the corner, she quickly made herself flat against the wall. Covering her mouth, she held her breath, praying that she would not be seen.

Luckily, the owner of the shadow seemed to be quick on his way as well and did not notice her. But Mikan did. She stared at the retreating figure, unveiled and brightly illuminated with the moon's white beam. The unidentified person was a woman, a woman with dark red hair flowing down her back, visible as she retreated into the cloak of darkness again.

_Isn't that Koizumi? What is she doing so close to the gardens so late at night? _she wondered. Perhaps the woman was cooking up some evil plan. Perhaps she knew about Juunichi's plan to free the prisoner and was searching for her…any excuse to have Mikan banished, along with Juunichi. And the certain death of Hyuuga-hime.

Goosebumps crawled up her arms. She shivered, then hastily wiped the sheen of cold sweat off her face. Mikan sternly told the devil Mikan inside her head to shut up, then strode ahead with more speed. Her heart was pounding furiously in her chest, and it hurt to breathe. _Focus, focus…_

She winced as the doors groaned with her entrance and bit her lip as she tiptoed through the cabin to the garden. As usual, the scrolls were in their neat, little cubbies. And for the first time ever, she bypassed them without giving them another glance, though her itching fingers betrayed her conscious. _I hope the next person to check on this medical garden is one from the new batch of assistants,_ she thought. _I don't know any animals that eat poppies...At least I have some leftover bits of wolfsbane from one of my experimental potions. _To pick those, she would have to go to the Fourth Herb Garden, which had guards posted at the entrance, and at night, one strolling inside the garden. If she was seen picking the lethal plant in the dead of the night, it would raise numerous eyebrows.

Her heels dug in the familiar soil as she walked down each row to try to spot the bright red petals of the soporific flowers. Soon after, she spotted the poppies peeping out of the soil behind some tall green stalks. With her small silver sickle, she deftly cut the stems cleanly. She was careful not to cut too much from the same spot lest one of the gardeners notice that someone had been stealing. Indeed, she was _stealing._ Mikan grimaced, but continued doggedly. When her basket contained all the necessary ingredients, she slipped the hood of her cloak on and fled to the confines of her room, where she got to work.

She peered behind the wall, making sure she was still hidden within the shadows while watching the guards boisterously drinking their _sake_. The empty vial threatened to slip out of her sweaty palm. Heart pounding painfully in her chest, she tried to breathe evenly. She must remain hidden, but curiosity urged her to take a peek.

"Ahh, now that's the taste I've been waiting for!" exclaimed one soldier, smacking his lips. He took the whole bottle then and poured the rest of the contents down his throat. He grinned at his comrades, raising the near-empty bottle. Then without a change of expression, he kneeled backward to the floor. His face lolled dangerously to her direction, and Mikan hastily retreated into the shadows.

But it was unnecessary. Mikan heard similar thuds of bodies hitting the floor. Cautiously, she peered out again and saw a bunch of drunken men passed out around the table.

Hesitantly, she tip-toed out of her spot to the nearest man and, after making sure he was completely unconscious, took his pulse. Yes, the dab of monkshood she used would be of no serious consequence to these men's health. Her mouth set a grim line as she looked on disapprovingly, forgetting what situation she was in for a second. Guards, especially night guards, should never drink so much before taking their posts. One intoxicated man may result to the doom of an entire country. To think people's lives depended on these drunkards!

She then scurried away to the meeting spot, casting one guilty look behind, hoping that they would not be punished, well _too_ greatly. They did deserve a severe lecture about drinking before night post though.

Mikan sat shivering under a great willow tree. She leaned against the solid bark of the willow, hugging her legs, and watched for any sign of anyone. But the only thing visible was the pearly orb that hung in the sky.

The wind swept by with a little howl, rustling the grass and creaky branches. She shivered from the wind and fear. The wind shifted the clouds and hid the moon. With no source of light, she sat alone in complete darkness, listening to the eerie noises by the dark creatures.

Worry gnawed at her heart. Where was Juunichi? She was sure that the drug she administered would knock the guards out for around four to five hours, if no one deliberately prodded them. Suddenly, she was filled with a sense of dread. The castle was unsafe from any intruders since guards were missing from their posts, and the _Mudan _people think the _Sakura _people have their princess. She clasped together her sweaty palms. _What was taking him so long? _

"Did you get caught brother?" she whispered before biting her lip. She now busied herself by wringing her poor hands. "Hurry up brother…" She sent out a silent plea, hoping their mental connection would deliver her call.

It still took another half an hour before her call was answered. "Mikan!"

She almost let out a loud cry of surprise, but quickly covered her mouth. She trembled in fear. "Juunichi nii-sama?" she said in the dark, "is it you?"

He appeared out of nowhere. The clouds shifted as if by will, and a ray of moonshine peeked out, and Mikan saw the feathery black hair and a glint of grey eyes. She sprung up with relief and caught him around the neck, hugging him fiercely.

"Nii-sama," she whispered, "thank the goddess, I thought you were caught..."

He squeezed her back reassuringly. She felt so protected, safe within his strong two arms. "I'm fine."

She turned around to look at the small figure next to him. "Is this her?"

The figure's face was shadowed, but her crimson eyes shone brightly, and Mikan could see the emotions they reflected clearly. _Uncertainty, confusion, and fear._ Slowly, the prisoner slid off her cap, and her black locks fell down, neatly arranging themselves around her face. This was the first time Mikan got a good look at the person she helped rescue. Her raven-black hair was short and framed her small face. Her soft features suggested a gentle image, but also youth. Mikan guessed she was around her age.

The girl spoke. "My name is Ryu-no, Hyuuga Aoi," she said in soft tones in her mother tongue, "I am the princess of the Hyuuga people."

Mikan smiled and replied in the same language, remembering all the etiquette classes she took. "I am Sakura Mikan, princess of the Sakura people."

Aoi's eyes widened, revealing more of her unique crimson irises. "Sakura-hime. Then-"she turned around to Juunichi, "you're a prince!" She was extremely confused. "Why did you help me, your enemy?"

"You are not our enemy," replied Juunichi. "We want the war to end. And us having the princess of the Hyuugas as a hostage wouldn't help much."

Hyuuga Aoi didn't seem to fully accept that explanation, but said nothing.

"We should leave quickly Hyuuga-hime –your mother and brother is probably very worried about you. We must make haste." said Juunichi. There were two horses tied to an old post behind.

Mikan put two and two together and realized what he was planning. "Jun –you can't! It's too dangerous!" She gripped his arm tightly with both hands, her terrified eyes huge. "Don't go!"

"She doesn't know the area, Mikan. She'll get lost and wander forever in the forest. I have to take her to the Z zone at least."

"But-!"

"It'll be fine." He smiled reassuringly, gently prying her fingers off her arm.

Mikan stared at her brother. He was resolute and nothing she could say would shake him. "Be-be careful, ok?" she whispered finally.

"Of course."

He went to untie the horses.

Mikan saw that the once-captive had not moved. Hyuuga Aoi was looking at her –not staring, but merely observing.

As Mikan looked into those crimson orbs, she herself thought about the stories of the Hyuuga people. People all told her they were vicious, conniving folks that killed with blood lust gleaming in their eyes. This girl in front of her was a Hyuuga and the _princess_ of them as well. Yet, she had not even lifted a finger to harm her or her brother. Nor cursed in any vulgar words.

"It seems that the stories about the Sakura people aren't entirely true." Aoi gave her a genuine smile. Mikan blinked in response at the sudden warmth, at loss for words.

Aoi then took out a something from the folds of her tattered dress, but it was hid from view, completely enveloped in her two hands. "I want you to have this."  
Mikan hesitated, then stretched out her arms, and the Chinese princess dropped the gift into the other's open palms.

It was a red pouch, and from the feel of it, there was something smooth akin to a stone inside. Mikan raised the pouch to the moonlight. The cloth bore the insignia of the Hyuuga people, a black flaming fire entwined with a yin and yang. At the end of the drawstring was a small crystalline figurine of a swan. Mikan parted the pouch and shook it, and a red stone dropped into her waiting palm.

"It's an alice stone."

Mikan's eyes grew round with wonder and awe. She had never seen one before, and she knew a stone the size of the one in her hands must be made by a powerful alice-wielder. It was the size of her palm, and it nestled snugly in her head. She curled her fingers around it and felt a warm, tingling sensation trickling through her body.

"My brother gave it to me –he has the alice of fire. Because my alice form was childhood, I lost my power of fire when I was eight."

Childhood form of alice. Mikan had heard about this before from Narumi. There were four forms of the mysterious power alice. Childhood meant that the alice would disappear as the child grew up. Mikan automatically put the stone back into the pouch and held it out towards her. "Then this must be very important to you! I can't accept such a thing."

Hyuuga-hime smiled at her. "Just call me Aoi. And I want you to have it as a token of my gratitude, Sakura-hime. Please keep it."

Mikan was taken back. Aoi smiled brightly –in Mikan's opinion, she looked very _kawaii. _Very cute. Mikan grinned. "Thank you very much Aoi-chan! And please call me Mikan as well!"

Aoi smiled, and they clasped hands. "Mikan-chan, let's meet again when this war is over."

Mikan nodded.

"Hyuuga-hime, we should hurry." Juunichi led a dappled gray mare to her. The mare snorted, seemingly in agreement, and a stream of white cloud emitted from her nostrils.

With a leg-up, Aoi hoisted herself up on the straw-saddle with his help and picked up the reins, sliding the hood of her cloak over her face again. It would safely conceal her face from any surprise encounters with any road-occupants.

"It's a promise! We'll definitely meet again Aoi-chan!" Mikan whispered softly.

Mikan had to strain her ears to hear the muffled response. "Promise."

"I'll be back soon, little sister," said Juunichi as he sat astride on his horse.

"Be safe," Mikan whispered. "Both of you."

After waving a final goodbye, the two spurred their steeds into the forest.

Mikan watched the retreating figures, unconsciously tightening her grip around the pouch.

Surprisingly, she felt sudden tingling warmth spreading out her body, to the tips of her toes and fingers. It was much stronger than before. She released the pouch, and the sensation stopped.

_That's right_, _she said this contained the alice of fire,_ she thought. _I've never met anyone with the alice of fire...that's the specialty of the Hyuuga kingdom._

For some reason, Mikan felt as if she was being protected when she clutched the stone. The warmth not only protected her from the winter night chills, but her heart as well.

After contemplation over the stone, she looked up.

The sky was dark still, but she knew that the sun would come up soon, shining its rays and announcing the morning gloriously. The winter birds will chirp their morning greetings, and the servants in the castle would be busily bustling about for the day's preparations.  
She squeezed her eyes shut and tightly gripped the alice stone between her two palms to her chest. She prayed hard that Aoi-hime and her brother would be alright and for their paths to be clear of any soldiers, Sakura and Hyuuga alike.

She did not want any trouble to befall on them.

Because if they did-

It would be a serious pandemonium.

Author's Note:

_Kokuritsu Kokkai Toshokan _–The National Diet Library; this is the biggest library in Japan. Diet isn't the painful process women stubbornly go through by eating only cucumbers day and night. It's the Japanese equivalent of the United States Congress.

_Mudan _–This is _peony _in Mandarin Chinese. As the cherry blossom, _sakura_, is the flower emblem for Japan, the peony is the flower emblem for China (for those who know Chinese history, this is for mainland China after the Civil War). Since Mikan's country is called _Sakura_ (Kingdom), I decided to name the adversary's country the same way, so it's called _Mudan _(Kingdom).

_Poppies _–I heard these plants have soporific effects…I'm not sure they grow in the winter time…or if it is a native plant in Asia…but please pretend they do in this fanfic…

Languages: I don't remember if I mentioned this or not, but the Hyuuga people of Mudan country use Chinese, and the Yukihara/Sakura people use Japanese. This doesn't mean the two countries are China and Japan, since that wouldn't really make heads and tails out of Ruka's blonde hair and Hotaru's amethyst eyes. So…basically, this world is a non-existant world that only exists in our imagination! Sorry for using Chinese and Japanese, but I could hardly call the two languages _mudanese _and _sakuranese. _They…just sound awkward.

*mikancchi bows in apology*

After whipping through my exams that I partially studied (I passed all of them though!) I had been liberated for two months of _freedom_. Nope. Totally, 100% incorrect diction. I'm still studying while starving, just in a different location. I really don't understand those peremptory figures that decide our lunch time after 1. In my case, it's 2. Sigh.

Anyways, I hit a writer's block with this story and dawdled on a new GA fanfic, then slapped myself a bit too hardon both cheeks and returned to this story. I finally have the basic map for this story…I think…and I realized it's going to be a very, _very_, long journey, for both Mikan and me.

So…there are, if my memory doesn't fail to serve me correctly, 2 more flashback chapters, then we'll be going back to the "present" time of this story! Hope people aren't bored with the flashback, but it's essential to understand what's going on.

And as usual, huge thank yous to my reviewers! You all really make my day :) It's nice to know that readers enjoy this work enough to share their thoughts. At least, I haven't had any flames so far. I'll list the ones who reviewed after posting chapter 6 on June 10, 2010:

Tsuki's Angel; KyouyaxCloud; Kountry101; ; JuSt To RaNdOm; Happy-Go-Round; ilikethatsmile; xYouchiix; Essouffle Amour; kawaiiIsa-chan; Chocoholic; and coco.

You guys get a…fresh bouquet of yellow daffodils! I hope no one is allergic to them…

And Happy-Go-Round and Tsuki's Angel get a hidden bar of chocolate inside the bouquet because of their lengthy reviews that made me think in a different perspective and informed me what the reviewers wanted. And yes, Natsume is godly. Muhahahah!

And as always, click on those blue words below and leave a review! I hope you are a part of the 1.2% of the readers who review…I calculated.

The next chapter…will probably update within this month. (But school's starting T_T) So hold tight everyone, and please don't lose faith in me!

-_mikancchi_

P.S. To all avid watchers of the World Cup! Keep your spirits high even though you need to wake up an hour before the crack of dawn to drag yourself in front of the TV set!

P.P.S. World Cup is now over…I've been editing this since June. So new postal script –Baker King Kim Tak Goo Rocks! It's a Korean drama. Randomness.


	8. Chapter 8

**Fuki Enro**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

Disclaimer: (excuse my terrible usage of capitalization) Daughter of the forest, gakuen alice, TRC, or any other manga so far does not belong to me and will never be, no matter how strongly I wish for that to happen. As well, due to the parallellism of this story to Daughter of Forest, some statements have been deliberately copied word per word, thus some sentences in this writing are not mine.

* * *

Tanpopo flapped its tiny wings agitatedly while completing his third circuit around the room. Haru whistled softly and the little bird perched itself on his head. Haru was occupied in stitching a large gash on a black stallion's foreleg.

"Calm down, _aniki_," said Haru, his brow furrowed in concentration as he deftly stitched up the gaping wound. "I'm sure he's fine. No need to glower."

Toya did not reply, just merely continued glaring daggers at a particular spot in the pile of straw and hay. He left his frame leaning on the wall, but his crossed legs and arms suggested firm disapproval of Juunichi's ungainly absence.

The royal children were assembled in an old barn where Haru tended his injured animals. The Head Maid had officially kicked them out of their "sibling" room because it was long due for some extreme, _thorough, _cleanout.

Toya exhaled a long breath, and his long fingers pressed his eyes. "It's already dusk, and he's been missing since dawn," he said wearily.

"Priestess Shoshi already sent a message that there is no immediate danger present in the Sakura lands, so he's fine," said Yui, perched on a heap of wood. He stretched out his long legs, then crossed them. "Lost in thought and unaware of the flow of time." But every once in few minutes he would glance outside to the direction of the forest from the corner of his eye.

"Can't you use your alice to find him?" Haru asked Yui.

But it was Shiki who replied. "The forest is covered by a thick layer of ancient magic woven my a _kami_. You can't penetrate the barrier with alice or any kind of sorcery. Compared to their powers, ours is a cheap illusion and trickery."

Yui glanced at Shiki, then turned his head and resumed looking outside.

Toya did not visibly relax, but Priestess Shoshi's words were always accurate and reliable. She was the current High Priestess of the lands. Granny Shoshi, as Mikan called her, had served the Gods in the Temple of Tranquility for more than fifty years, ten of which she served and was still serving as the leader.

"He was in the forest in the morning; a roe deer passed me the message from his friends," added Haru. Tanpopo, perched on his shoulder, chirped a string of notes in agreement before hopping about wildly. The horse his master was tending to nickered a friendly greeting to the bird, and finally he rested on the black mare's head.

Mikan sat quietly in the corner surrounded by horse equipment. She could not erase the troubled look on her face. Yui noticed his sister's silent anxiety and left his place to plop down next to her. He wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders, and Mikan leaned in under the crook of his neck for comfort. _Why isn't Juunichi back yet? _she thought. Worry and fear gnawed her heart. Were they seen and caught by the scouts?

The barn door's opened with a loud _bam_, causing the door dangerously to wobble out of its place to the floor and its hinges to creak in protest. Ryuji, tomato-red in the face, darted in, bursting with news. "There's a problem!"

Yui stood up quickly while Toya looked up from his glowering.

"The-the prisoner is gone!" he managed to pant out.

Toya's eyes widened a fraction. He pressed a hand to his face, covering his eyes, and swore under his breath with words unfit to be recorded on paper.

Yui was expressionless. "The Hyuuga prisoner?"

Ryuji still panting, nodded in confirmation.

The five brothers all strode out to the commotion while Mikan rushed to keep up with their long strides. Toya made a beeline to the Chief-in-Guards. "What happened?" he demanded.

The chief regarded the trembling soldiers kneeling in front of him in disgust. "They seemed to have been, ah how should I put it," he narrowed his eyes to fine slits, "_intoxicated _themselves during the shift change."

Misaki, the chief pharmacist, came up to them. "Two of the soldiers are ill and I think there was some wolfbane in the alcohol." He shook his head.

Mikan gulped silently, wishfully hoping that she did not look guilty. Fortunately, everyone's attention was focused on the soldiers who squirmed under their scrutinizing gazes.

"She was gone when I went to give her a platter of food!" said a guard hastily.

"We-we usually drink some beer before we change shifts sir," stuttered another.

"We've never passed out before or gotten drunk," squeaked another.

"This never happened before, please believe us sirs!" they all chorused together.

The chief in guard snorted. "What should I do with them, Toya-sama?"

Shiki intercepted. "Don't be too harsh, it doesn't seem like their fault."

Touya's eyes flashed dangerously. "They shouldn't have drunk alcohol in the first place." He sighed. "Carry out their punishment as you find fit. Don't lash them or anything- we need as many soldiers as possible right now. And also," he gave the chief a stony look, the one that put grown men to silence, "they were under your authority, your responsibility. You are also responsible for this. Make sure this doesn't happen again, and there will be no next chance."

The chief flinched from the chilling tones. "I understand." He bowed and glared at his soldiers again, who all shivered accordingly.

"We deeply apologize milord!" kowtowed the flustered guards.

Toya walked out with his other siblings at his wake.

Ryuji was the most annoyed. His love for power left him interested in war affairs. "Whether she was a woman or not, we could have still squeezed out some valuable information," he grumbled.

His twin fell in pace with him and gave him a glance. "Perhaps," was all he said. He eyes flitted towards Mikan, who met his eyes questioningly. Shiki said nothing and resumed looking forward.

"I wonder if a group will be dispatched to track her down." Yui frowned. "And still, we have yet to find –Juunichi!"

The missing brother was standing before them in torn attire. His hair was in disarray and dirty. He bore long scratches along his arms and sported a bandage around his thigh.

"Juunichi!" cried out Mikan in genuine relief, running towards him and tripping on her long robe. Junnichi caught her by the arms, and Mikan hugged him fiercely. "What happened to you!" she whispered to him frantically in his ear.

_I'll tell you later._ He looked up to his brothers who all looked at him for an explanation. "Hello."

"Where have you been!" said Ryuji looking up and down at him, eyeing him incredulously. Ripped attire, disarrayed hair, scratches along his face and arms...

"I dreamt about an ancient tree in the heart of the forest so I went in to seek it."

A dream meant a foresight in Juunichi's vocabulary, which would hold meaning in the past, present, or future. Of course, it would be normal for Juunichi to seek out the meaning of his dream by finding the thing that the dream revolved around. However, this was not a good enough explanation for Toya.

"You left," he said quietly, "in the time of war without a note to search for a_ tree_?" he ended in a yell.

Yui patted Toya's head, ruffling his black hair at the same time. "Now, now, I'm sure he had to do what he had to, didn't you Jun?"

Jun nodded slightly. He shifted on one foot to another, for nobody needed foresight to sense the explosion upcoming. "I'm sorry for causing you to worry. Excuse me, I would like to go clean up. Mikan, can you please tend my scratches please." He quickly grabbed Mikan by the arm and dragged her to his room.

"Juunichi." Yui's voice halted their retreat, and they both looked to their second eldest brother, who had one arm firmly around Toya's neck forcing the latter look at the dust on his boots while trying to escape the grip.

"Don't ever do this again." Yui's voice was light, but his ice-cold blue eyes told another story. Mikan hated this scary side of him, almost afraid of his coldness so different from his usual warmth and joviality. Juunichi betrayed no emotion, but Mikan caught a slightly frightened look in his eyes. Fear was a deadly weapon.

"I understand," Jun said quietly, lowering his eyes. Then he and Mikan hurried down the corridor to his room.

Juunichi slid the door to his room open and shut it quickly.

Mikan recovered her senses. "What happened?" she asked worriedly, hurrying to examine his wounds. "Why are you hurt? What about Aoi-chan?"

The brother sighed and slumped on his futon, rubbing his eyes wearily.

She kneeled next to him and rolled up his and her sleeves. Her healer-self could not wait any longer. She got a clean strip of cloth from the shelf and the bowl of water. She dampened the fabric and cleaned the cuts gently, waiting for him to talk. But her impatient nature caused her to apply more pressure than necessary.

Juunichi winced then sighed again. "We were safe until we got to the Z zone. I intended to go through the first few miles of the desert with her to get the sense of direction. But then these people clothed head to toe with black suddenly appeared. They asked for the princess. I told them to leave, and then they started to attack me. I think one knocked me on my head; the next thing I knew was that I was awake, alone, in the forest."

Mikan was stock-still. "Then-then Aoi-hime-"

Juunichi closed his eyes. "I don't know if she escaped, but the chances she got caught is high."

Her mouth fell open in horror. "But...but they couldn't have been people from Hyuuga. Surely they would have recognized her."

"Exactly."

"Then...then who are they?"

"I don't know," said Juunichi quietly.

Mikan sniffed and smeared some balm on the cuts with her finger, gently this time.

"Juunichi-sama." A maid slid the door open and kowtowed. "Dinner is ready."

He nodded, then the maid closed the door.

The footsteps faded away. Juunichi got up slowly and tiredly. "Let's go eat Mikan."

* * *

Later, a small group of soldiers were dispatched to find the girl, but there were no traces of her. A contagious worry plagued everyone's hearts: did the girl make her way safely to the Hyuuga soldiers? Did she steal valuable information and was she currently feeding their strategic locations? They hoped her dead by now in the heart of the forest, moss creeping up her bones and concealing her body to time forever.

Little did they know there were two figures inside the castle desperately hoping for the opposite.

The Sakura soldiers doubled their effort, and the two eldest brothers were called away for longer periods of time. Yukihara Izumi worked incessantly with the Council. But the war continued on with no major victories and losses to both sides. More lives were lost, more funerals were held, more tears were shed, and more cries were wailed.

And time flowed on, like sand trickling endlessly through the eternal hourglass, and so two years passed…

* * *

"In the celebration of Yukihara-ou (King) and Koizumi-ouhi (Queen)'s two year anniversary, we offer a toast!"

All the people assembled held up their cup of sake with both hands. Yukihara and Koizumi drank from their cups and then the rest followed the suit.

Mikan, who sipped a very watered-down version of sake, resisted the urge to grimace at the taste, and carefully watched her father. It was no secret by now that Yukihara Izumi's health deteriorated every day, and he was quite pale. His skin was translucent, and his eyes were sunken in with dark rings around them. Mikan heard the maids whisper in the corridors when they thought they had no company, about _enchantment_ and _bewitchment._The doctor in-charge found nothing wrong and concluded it was from stress.

After all, recently, there were more and more attacks from the Hyuuga kingdom, and the Sakura Country weren't quite doing well.

But the King's health deteriorated day after day.

So the doctor prescribed more medication, which Yukihara Izumi loathed to take, claiming it made him feel worse.

Her stepmother, on the other hand, was in splendid condition. She was smiling and chatting with the nearby people. Her apple-red locks were elaborately piled up on her head with beautiful jade combs for the occasion, and she wore a touch of emerald eye shadow, bringing out her bottle green eyes. She wore a long white kimono with a pattern of whirling cherry blossoms in vibrant red and pink. She smiled continuously with those big, painted red lips of hers.

The feast concluded, shorter than usual due to the king's health. As the last group of guests trickled out, the seven children went up to the King and Queen. They lined up themselves neatly and bowed in unison.

"Congratulations on your second anniversary, Otou-sama (father) and Okaa-sama (mother)."

Yukihara smiled tiredly. "Yes..." he swayed from his place and put a hand to his head, his brow etched in.

Alarm showed in the childrens' eyes. "Father?"

"Nothing, nothing..." But his eyes seemed to be only half open, and he squinted as if his vision was hazy. Then all of a sudden, his eyes rolled back and suddenly, he was on the floor, unmoving.

"Father!" Mikan screamed, running towards her father.

"Get the doctor!" roared Toya, rushing towards his unconscious father as well.

"What's going on?" It was the Prime Minister, Narumi. His eyes widened as he saw the figure on the floor. "Yukihara-ou!"

"Narumi, get help!" said Mikan frantically. "Otou-sama, wake up!" She patted his lifeless cheeks. Ironically, this was the first time she made skin contact with her father.

Four footmen placed him on a portable bed and carried him out and into a room

After a few minutes of studying the patient's pulse, the doctor straightened up from his examination. "The King has collapsed due chronic fatigue. He will be fine with rest."

The others visibly relaxed their tense frames in relief, but Mikan was not convinced. She examined her father with her eyes. He had no visible symptoms that she could see besides his extreme pallor. Exactly what was wrong, she did not dare ask, for Koizumi was gripping her father's hand tightly and feared she may snap.

Mikan once again looked at the pale face of her father with his starlight hair astray.

Koizumi looked up from the bedside. "Why don't everyone leave the room so the King can rest peacefully without any disturbance," she said.

Mikan hesitated. "But-"

Her stepmother's eyes flashed dangerously. "Is that an objection Mikan-hime?"

Mikan gulped and looked down. "No, Okaa-sama. But," she bravely continued on, "I would like to examine Father for myself."

"There is a royal _doctor _in this room, Mikan-hime. You are not needed," replied Koizumi testily. "Now leave."

Mikan followed her brothers out of the room. For the first time, though, Mikan felt some kind of wrath boiling inside her. She clenched her fists. She was Yukihara Izumi's sole daughter, why couldn't she even _touch _him while Koizumi, who waltzed into their lives just two years ago, was stuck by his side like some sort of adhesive like one of those pesky leeches?

Narumi came out and slid the doors behind them.

"Mikan." She came out from her angry thoughts and saw Narumi looking at her with a frown on his face.

"What is it?"

"I want you to be careful of Koizumi. All of you," he said, looking at the six assembled men.

Ryuji frowned. "Well, we already don't like her at all."

Shiki rolled his eyes. "We are already wary of her is what he meant to say. But why do you say that, Narumi-san?"

Narumi had a troubled look on his face. "Her behaviour is abnormal. She hasn't visited the shrine even once during the two years she stayed in this castle, not even during the New Year Festival. And Priestess Shoshi didn't even bless the marriage. There is also no background information on her; I don't know how your Father even met her. And..."

"And?" said Toya.

"No, it's nothing. Anyways, I want you to be careful of what you say or do in front of her. Be cautious." Narumi strode off down the long corridor to his room.

"And I know that I've seen her before _there_

," Narumi whispered to himself.

* * *

It had been four days since the royal children left their Father on his sickbed.

"You don't think Father's illness has anything to do with Koizumi, do you?" said Haru, sprawled on the floor and basking in the sun streaming from the window.

"No, Okaa-sama can't do anything with the doctor checking up on him," said Mikan.

Ryuji snorted and swung his spear round and round in the air. "Don't call her Okaa-sama; all she's ever been is mean, never a mother."

Mikan sighed, tugging her unbound hair that Umi spent hours combing out the tangles. "It's not my fault –she's been correcting me _everywhere_. I swear she's following me just to see if I call her Koizumi or _mother._"

Shiki took up his selected brush and dipped it into the inkwell. "Well, it is a bit suspicious though. Father's illness, the bad omens...even the more frequent attacks. We hardly get to see you anymore, Toya and Yui nii-sama." He looked at the two eldest before resuming carefully to his masterful calligraphy.

Mikan remembered the time Koizumi visited the gardens. She could have easily obtained plants to poison their father. She shook her head. _Then the doctor would have said Father was poisoned instead of fatigue. The blood's rhythm would reveal the truth._

"Are you saying that she's a traitor?" said Haru. He sat up now in full attention. Tanpopo perched on his knee and chirped.

"Not a traitor if she'd never been loyal to the Sakura people from the beginning. Maybe a spy." Shiki deftly moved his fingers and wrist, and Mikan was awed by the beauty of his work.

Toya remained silent in his stiff position.

A knock came on the door. "Enter," said Yui.

The door slid open, and they were shocked by the presence that greeted them. Behind the two kneeling maids was Koizumi Luna.

She was an image of vibrant red, and her less-than-appropriate neckline revealed her alabaster skin that seemed to glow from within. A tracery of fine veins showed on her pearly flesh, then Mikan knew, perhaps even before her, that Koizumi was with a child.

"Hello children," she said pleasantly. "Nice weather, isn't it?" She lifted her pointed chin to the window. No one responded. Yui was the only one who remembered his court etiquette. "Yes it is. Clear and sunny with a slight breeze, the ideal weather for spring."

Her smile stretched, if possible, even more. "Well, why don't you all go on a picnic?"

They all stared at Koizumi. Their immaculate _know-your-place _stepmother suggested to go on a _picnic _into the _wild._

Koizumi stood there with her green eyes gleaming. "Well, why don't you all go outside and enjoy the picnic. You can be released from all the castle duties for today. I heard that all of you grew up playing in the forest, so you don't need any attendants with you, yes? Toya and Yui can make up for lost time from campaigning."

"We'll go outside for a picnic. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, _okaa-sama,_" said Yui smiling. Mikan had an urge to applaud; he was a splendid actor.

Haru helped Yui take the seven _bentos _from the maids.

Koizumi turned to the silent figure in the corner. "And Toya. Would you like any message delivered to Izumi? I heard you've been trying to enter his room since the anniversary ceremony, but you were turned away by my orders. Izumi was sleeping and I didn't want him to be bothered, but I'm sure I can deliver a short message to him. Surely nothing that I can't hear, hmm?"

Mikan was next her eldest brother, and she thought she saw his fist clench momentarily before resuming its lax position.

"No, it is nothing of consequence," said Toya meeting his stepmother's gaze head-on with his sharp eyes.

They all stood up and bowed themselves quickly out. Mikan felt an urge to look back. Koizumi was left standing alone in the room, her long coils of red hair shifting slightly with the breeze. Her back was towards Mikan, so the latter could not see the former's face, but for some reason Mikan felt a ominous shudder travel down her spine. There was some feeling of _finality. _The sunlight and her stance made her look…triumphant. Then the two maids slid the doors shut, and Koizumi was shut from view.

They walked out of the castle through the back entrance and walked the familiar route through the forest in tacit silence. Not a word was spoken.

It was a really nice day with the blue sky having only a few streaks of white clouds. The sun shone gloriously, but the tall trees provided plenty of shade, and the gentle breeze cooled them down.

"Well," Yui broke the silence, looking up with his hand shielding his eyes, "it is a nice day to be out and not stuck in the castle."

"Why did she pack us _bentos_?" asked Juunichi and regarded the artistically crafted boxes as if they were some venomous snakes. "And why did she want us out of the castle?"

"It is suspicious," said Yui thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Shall we go back to the castle?"

"No, even if we go back, if Koizumi truly wanted us out, she would have anticipated we may come back and block us from entering," said Toya.

"Perhaps," said Shiki. He stopped in his tracks then turned to where the castle lay. Ryuji caught him frowning. "If Toya's right, we can't enter anyways. Might as well seem like she got her way before she starts throwing unimaginable tantrums to get us out of her bushy lobster hair, then return later to fix whatever she's done and return everything to the original."

Shiki raised an eyebrow, and even Toya couldn't suppress a snort. "Bushy lobster hair?" repeated Yui. He let out a peal of laughter. "Bushy lobster! I-oh-haha!" He clutched his stomach and bent over. Mikan envisioned a monstrous red lobster on Koizumi's head and giggled.

"Brother, besides your humour, you have gotten a bit wiser," humoured Shiki after regaining his composure, then led the path without faltering, confident of each pebble and creek's location. "You are right indeed; she has no supporters in the castle, but still, we must be wary. I sense an old magic, but wicked; but again, Toya is right that if Koizumi wants us out, she will keep us out."

"We can't have a picnic while Koizumi does whatever she pleases in the castle," interjected Junnichi.

"Whether she is the new Queen or not, we are the descendants of the royal line and heirs to the throne. We have more than enough authority to overturn any tumultuous decisions she made in the castle after we stay out of her way for a bit," said Shiki.

"Well then, why don't we go by the small waterfall to the north where the pines are," suggested Haru. "It's very near and there's plenty of space for Toya and Ryuji to spar," he added.

"Yes!" yelled Ryuji enthusiastically, throwing a fist in the air. "I'm going to beat you this time, Nii-sama!" He whirled his spear expertly with one hand, intending to look threatening.

Toya smirked. "Really."

Ryuji froze. Toya did not smirk. And if he did...it meant trouble. Mikan saw him gulp and his ego shrink a couple feet.

Shiki sighed at his twin's immature behavior.

They walked for a few more minutes, and at last, they could hear the rushing sound of water. They came upon a clearing, with a small waterfall cascading down a height of a young tree. The crystal clear water fell and gathered into the shallow but wide stream, with grey rocks protruding here and there to sit on. There were big fish swimming, but today they would be spared from the pit for they had the afternoon meal packed.

Toya walked up to the clearing, unsheathing his _katana _from his polished black scabbard as he went. His long reflective blade shimmered like water in sunlight as he took position. He grinned wolfishly at his younger brother, but somehow, he was surrounded with a very black and destructive aura.

Yui leaned down to whisper to an intimidated Ryuji. "He's not in a good mood right now, you know. Be careful."

"Haha, he doesn't scare me." Ryuji gulped nervously before gripping his trusty spear before him. His weapon was several times bigger and more intimidating than his brother's, but it would be skill that would determine the outcome of the spar.

"Are you still going to whirl that huge thing around? Why don't you use a sword?" asked Shiki.

"Nu-uh. I never go back down on my word," Ryuji replied. He put his tongue between his teeth, and plunged for the attack.

Ryuji's weapon was a mistake forged by an apprentice blacksmith. It was a unique version of _sankaku yori_, a triangle spear that had a narrow spike and a triangular cross-section. His weapon's blade was huge, mighty, not to mention heavy, and the hilt was above norm long. Due to an old not to mention stupid bet made in his childhood, he undertook rigorous training to learn how to effectively use the monstrous weapon.

Toya swung his sword down through the air, making it ring.

Ryuji took the first move. "HYAA!" He rushed towards his brother.

And the sparring began.

The rest of the siblings, who have watched them spar many times past, found their own thing to do. With occasional exclamations and grunts in the background (mostly made by Ryuji), they settled down. Shiki and Juunichi took off his shoes and cooled his feet in the cool water, sitting on a rock. Yui wandered off as usual with Haru following him, sure that animals would start popping out from the foliage soon. Mikan observed the wild herbs and sat in the shade of an ancient knotted tree.

After a while, the clanging of metal ceased. Toya and Ryuji were both sweating and huffing, although the latter was panting much more, bent over at the waist.

"You reaction on the left side is slower than your right," said Toya. "You need to balance your speed or you will perish easily in the battleground.

"Hmph," huffed Ryuji, red as a tomato. He went to head-dive in the cool rush of cascading water. Shiki kicked up a foot and sprayed extra water droplets at his disgruntled twin. "When will you have your first taste of victory?"

"Shuddap Shiki," Ryuji growled, his wet hair conjuring an image of a mightly wet dog.

His twin smirked.

Toya sheathed his sword with expertise and came by to sit next to Mikan. Yui and Haru also came back from their little expedition.

"So who won?" asked Yui with a knowing grin.

Touya gave a snicker at Ryuji's muttering.

"Whatever. I'm hungry," said Ryuji.

Mikan opened her mouth. "Well why don't we eat our meals now?"

Whenever Mikan shifted through her memories, she would always regret those words that she uttered from her own mouth. Although the meal would have been inevitable, Mikan could never get rid of the twinge of guilt that plagued her through her life.

They opened their _bentos_. It was an assortment of all different kinds of delicacies. There were grilled fish, seasoned mussels, rice, varied vegetable, yellow egg rolls, eggplant, colourful pile of beans, and some slices of meat. There were some small and round rice cakes on the side for dessert.

It actually looked quite good.

Mikan, who was quite fond of rice cakes, picked up a powdered pink one and put it in her mouth. It was sweet, filled with sticky red bean paste. Then she realized besides Ryuji, Haru, and herself, no one was eating (Ryuji was shoveling down his food). Juunichi was always fasting these days, but what about Shiki, Yui, and Toya? In fact, Toya was staring at her with his steadfast trademark gaze of his, and she met his gaze questioningly.

After managing to swallow the sticky wad of rice cake, she asked, "What is it? It's good."

Shiki looked at Ryuji and opened his own bento. Toya and Yui followed suit and took up their chopsticks.

"Mikan, you know that you should eat the meal before the dessert," Yui teasingly scolded her, waving his chopsticks at her. "You'll become like Plump Pamu."

"My sweet tooth is known in the whole castle," said Mikan as she took another bite. "And I get too full –"

"ARGH!"

Alarmed, everyone stopped to look at the source of the yell. "What's the matter Ryuji?" asked Shiki anxiously.

Ryuji's hand started to shake and he dropped his chopsticks. "Ugh," he groaned. He gripped his trembling wrist to no avail. His bento fell and bounced on the rocks and the carefully prepared food spilling out.

Mikan watched her brother in alarm, then she screamed. "Nii-sama, your hand!"

Something was happening. There was something white sprouting out his hand. Ryuji looked at his trembling hand in shock.

"Haru!" Everyone's head whirled around to see the same thing happen to Haru.

Juunichi stared at both of his brothers. He was hit with realization. "Koizumi," he whispered.

Mikan turned to her brother, confused and very frightened. "What?"

But Juunichi could not say anything more. His body started to convulse and he fell to the floor in fetal position.

Mikan was rooted to her spot as she saw that all her other brothers were bent over in pain. Ryuji, Haru, Toya, Juunichi, Shiki, Yui.

And then a curling white mist came, blanketing the writhing men from sight.

"_No! _What's happening?" she screamed. She forced her legs to move, to her brothers, but she was too late. There was a blast of white light that engulfed her brothers. She threw up her arms to shield her eyes.

"Nii-sama!" she screamed.

There was a flurry of feathers. The white light faded away.

Mikan slowly parted her eyelids. In her vision, a swan entered. A pure white swan, with a long arching neck and wings that flapped gracefully.

Mikan stared at the swan. Why was there a swan in front of her? And then she realized that there were _six _swans before her.

One for each of her brother.

She stared, not comprehending. What was going on?

"Shiki?" she whispered. One swan lowered his head.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she collapsed onto the floor on her knees.

_What...what just happened? The swans...they are my brothers?_

A maniac laughter rang throughout the forest, approaching them. The laughter echoed, bounced of each tree and rock. Mikan could hear, could see the rustling hem of the long robes of a women with coiling auburn hair.

_Run..._

Mikan glanced up. "Shiki?" she whispered to the black eyes of a swan.

_Mikan run..._

_It's Koizumi...she did this..._

"What's going on?" she wailed to the forest, to the air, to no one. "Someone help me!"

_Run into the forest..._

_The magic of the forest will keep you safe..._

_RUN!_

She leapt to her feet and bolted into the forest, into the thicket of trees where she could not be seen. She frantically whirled about, then spotted the gnarled tree she sat under just a few minutes ago. The russet bark would camouflage her _yukata_. Mikan scampered up the tree just in time before the assailants came upon them.

A rustle of leaves sounded. "Well, well. It seems the potion worked after all. Anything of the colour red works, don't you agree, doctor?"

That voice. Her eyes widened, her heart beating erratically. That voice could not be mistaken for anyone else; that bell-like trilling voice that was the constant companion of her father.

_Koizumi Luna._

"I've been waiting for this day for twenty-four moons," she continued bitterly. "Finally, those infuriating princes are now reduced to these waddling mute beasts."

Another voice, a man, replied back. "Now that all the children in this state, you can finally take control of the Sakura kingdom. Your position will be secured with the baby in your womb."

Koizumi was pregnant. That was concluded, as she discovered a few hours past.

But Mikan still silently gasped. The other voice...it was familiar. Then it hit her. This was the voice of the doctor that treated her father the last two years. The King was in danger. This explained his terrible health condition –Yukihara Izumi was being fed _poison_. Her eyes got wider with shock and her fingers dug into the bark of the tree. She didn't notice one sliver pierced her finger.

"Yes," the doctor continued. "It will be much easier now for the _Mudans _to take over the Sakura lands. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated by the Principal."

Mikan froze. She replayed the words in her mind. _It will be much easier now for the Mudans to take over the Sakura lands._ She repeated them to herself over Koizumi's triumphant laughter that bounced off the trees of the forest, to echo over and over again.

Mikan slid down the tree, and a tear escaped her eye. She was unaware of the loose bark digging into her back of her _yukata_. She was unaware how the neighboring trees seemed to draw in to deafen any strand noise she made, nor how the willow's sweeping catkins obscured her from view. Mikan clutched both hands over her mouth, so that her choking, wracking sobs could not be heard as she felt the weight of the words she overheard.

Koizumi Luna and the doctor were in a scheme to overtake the Sakura country.

Her stepmother and the one who was responsible for curing her father.

They were spies from the Hyuuga land.

* * *

A/N:

Mikancchi apologizes fervently for the late chapter...but it's over 5,500 words! And better! She also has a lot of homework due to the start of a new year at school.

And she also has no idea why she is speaking in third person. Oh well.

After reading her hardwork, she expresses her extreme pleasure for her readers to take a little time to click the button down there and write a little note. She feels that would be lovely, and she would be quite grateful.

:) She will post the next chapter by next month. Hopefully. She reminds the readers to please understand that she is entering a year of rigorous academics.

Meanwhile, she recommends for her readers to take a probably dusty copy of _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland _off the bookshelf and read it again for a healthy dose of literary nonsense. And of course, to remind ourselves that we are all mad, and that we will forever be children.

-_mikancchi_

P.S. One ffn writer+reader pmed me about the similarity between this story and Misty Dreams by StarJade in the CCS archive. I would like to clarify something. I already had this fantasy adventure story that I kept in my day-dreaming, and after I read Misty Dreams, the fairy tale _The Six Swans_ seemed to be a good idea. So I purchased the book, _Daughter of the Forest _by Julliet Mariller (sorry if I spelled the name wrong) on amazon, then read it, _then _planned out this story. I purchased the book because StarJade said that she used that book to write Misty Dreams.

When making references, I make them only to the mangas that I've mentioned in the disclaimers (CCS, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, Gakuen Alice, but honestly, anything that I read influenced me) and the book itself. I also did and still do my own research of ancient Japan and folklore, along with the Chinese and the Korean. I have already planned out this story and its sequel by hand on paper. Yes, I have been inspired to use _Daughter of the Forest _through Misty Dreams, but I was not inspired to write this whole journey of Mikan because of Misty Dreams by StarJade. Nor do I copy. So in truth, the similarity is because that we both used the same book to write our fanfics. I might as well say now that the stories have different endings. As I progress further along in this story, I'm sure the differences become much more apparent.

Thanks.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

_I do not claim the original works of Harry Potter, Gakuen Alice, Daughter of the Forest, and Spirited Away._

_

* * *

_

Leaves rustled softly in the breeze. Mikan opened her eyes and blinked. She saw a ceiling sky blue. She blinked again. What she had mistaken for a sky blue dome was actually the sky.

She was outside again.

Mikan was lying on a patch of moist green moss. Unmoving, her eyes took in the sky, blinking, watching. There were no cotton fluffs passing by to make up a wing of a dragon or a fang of a hunted wolf.

"You're up."

The girl slowly tuned her head to the foreign tongue. A woman with apple-red hair sat near, whittling a piece of wood. What was her name again? _Misaki_. The memories, now unleashed, flooded into her mind. She was being held against her will, and frankly, against the will of her abductor's companions. She hid a wry grin and gingerly pulled herself upright.

She took in her surroundings and felt her mind at ease as she saw herself surrounded by tall, ancient trees that stretched to the heavens. Their wondrous gnarled roots like the old fingers of an elderly grandmother stuck out in various twisting arches, and some bore patches of moist moss on the smooth black rocks.

They were in the heart of the forest.

Mikan hoisted herself up. The air was still, as if the forest knew intruders were about. Not a single creature was in sight. The heart of the forest was not to be treaded upon lightly.

"I didn't want to wake you up. You looked so exhausted and that ungrateful Heimao gave you a rough time. So Tsubasa carried you (Heimao hobbled along) through the tunnel. Luckily, it led west, so we're not off course by much. We waited till nightfall, then navigated by the _bei ji xin_g._"_

_Bei ji xing _or _hokkyokusei_, the brightest star in the sky. Of course the tunnel led out west; it was a distant childhood memory, but Mikan remembered when Yui showed her this cave route. But to navigate through the night with the Polaris…She had not expected that. One more point to show that the _Mudan_s were not barbarians; they were human beings just like them, able to garner knowledge from this world.

"Are you hungry?" the woman asked.

Mikan's stomach growled in response. She nodded mutely, two pink spots on her cheeks.

Misaki's lips tugged to one corner, but did not laugh. "It's natural –you haven't eaten a thing since we took you along. You're skeleton-thin! You need some good piece of meat. Heimao and Tsubasa are scavenging for anything. Meanwhile, why don't you go by the lake to wash? Here –I have some fresh clothing-"

From her pack, she shook out a long sleeveless tunic along with a shirt and trousers. Plunging her hand in her pack once more, she successfully fished out a pair of black flats with red embroidery.

"The clothing was intended for the princess, but…" she trailed off, and then shook her head. Mikan looked down to her hands at the glint of tears.

"You need them," continued Misaki strongly. "Your poor feet are bleeding, and you shiver frighteningly too much. These are sturdy and durable to get across the Z zone." Nimbly she folded them up and stacked them into a pile. Then she pointed to a direction. "Follow that path straight and you'll come upon the lake."

The other girl unsteadily rose to her feet. The Healer self knew she was dehydrated and malnutritioned and needed help. The woman knew this too, and this was why she was free to go alone. She took the clothes with a small notion of thanks and set off on the path.

As she walked, she sniffed her arm and immediately wrinkled her nose. Even when she lived alone, secluded in the forest, she had regularly scheduled baths. Even in winter, she would laboriously beat the ice and haul ice-cold water in a lone bucket to heat with fire.

Mikan began to think now, alone for the first time in what felt like months. Her bare feet took their steps without guidance on the wet, rich-black dirt as she pondered.

First were the relationships. The two companions of Heimao talked about the Princess Aoi as one does about a dear close friend. Were they of nobility? But no, surely not. Impossible, even. No one of noble lineage would tread a toe on the _god-forsaken _and _accursed_ Sakura country.

Even so, Heimao's attitude towards Aoi was inexplicable. Though anger fuelled their few one-sided conversations, the stoic man's seemed to border desperation. Why?

She decided that this was not some loyal patriotic mission.

With a gentle swipe of her arm, she cleared some branches away from her face and took in the view that left her breathless. Her foot took a step forward into the clearing.

The valley lake was circular, and Mikan guessed very deep for the still water served as a perfect mirror, a shiny polished glass of nature.

She walked to the edge and knelt, then trailed her fingers through the water. A series of small ripples were made, outlines of circles going and going. Setting the clothes away, she dipped both hands and splashed her face, then cupped her palm to drink. The water was cool and sweet.

The water was once again still, a mirror. Mikan gazed at her reflection. Her tangled mass of hair like a crow's nest, her dirt-covered face, and the brown eyes that were of some beast, for they were wild… Until l recently, she had no human contact, nor did she venture out for a small glimpse of civilization. She had learned the danger the hard way.

While she was in her reveries, she did not realize that her reflected self was not sitting, as she was, on grass. In fact, the reflected Mikan was in another world entirely, one where it was shrouded in darkness. As eerie, mysterious orbs started to appear behind her reflected self, Mikan realized the strangeness of the situation. Even lanterns now appeared, floating mid-air –no, they were held by creatures, creatures so strange Mikan knew they were sprits. Some looked like amphibians and mammals, but clothed in the attire of men, while others simply wore a loincloth. There was a small frog in a blue yukata, leaping up and down. They all glided, but no, she squinted and saw that most of them were on long wooden boats, with one at the oar, paddling across infinite dark waters.

The reflected Mikan had disappeared some time ago, giving Mikan an unobscured view. She felt compelled to draw as near as she could to the surface of the lake without actually touching the surface, the only thing separating this world and the other. She held her breath; the slightest whisper may cause a tiny ripple, which may unbalance the stability of the bond between the two worlds.

Oh, how wrong she was.

A sprit with long incorporeal body turned its head. His face was a wooden mask of infinite lines. Troupes at her home used to depict old man. Under the bushy white eyebrows, the eyes were smiling outlines, but the only fact she understood was that they were clearly looking at _her_.

Before Mikan could register shock, an incorporeal body made of misty water shot out, whipped itself around Mikan, bound her tightly, and pulled her down into the water as quickly as it appeared.

Wholly taken by surprise, she breathed in a great volume of water up her nostrils. Coughing, her chest aching, she struggled profusely, which was to no avail because she could not struggle out of the bind.

Her unbound hair swirled around her as she kicked and flailed uselessly underwater, then –was she dreaming? –saw Heimao approaching quickly, swimming in hard strokes. Her arms stretched out as far as she could, and he grasped then tightly –she would bruise later –and pulled hard. She did not budge and the body squeezed further, causing her to gasp and intake a second volume of water. Her chest was burning, red red red. Her eyelids closed, and she went limp.

Heimao slashed furiously at the body with a dagger, but the blade just passed through. Holding the blade in between his teeth, he clutched the girl's arms to haul her roughly once more-

Then they were out. The spirit shot out of the water and released Mikan on the land, then flew off. Heimao and she fell heavily onto the pack of soil. The man shook himself, panting, then went over to the still girl's side. She was not breathing.

His hand on her shoulder, he said, "Wake up. Hey! Wake up!" He was shaking her body so hard that he did not see her stir.

To Mikan, she had felt the painful impact by her derriere and back, then was rudely being shaken, disrupting her stillness. But why was she so still, unmoving? Oh, she realized. _I'm not breathing._

She wheezed a small breath. Then rolled over to the side, spluttering and coughing up the lake's contents. Her body decided she had swallowed too much water down the wrong pipe. After a while, the wracking eased, and Mikan sat up to observe her surroundings as Heimao was doing with a guarded expression.

Unsurprisingly, they were in the world of darkness she had seen in the vision. Behind were dark columns of ancient trees. They were so tall, they stretched up like a beanstalk to the unseen sky, so all Mikan could see were their black barked bodies, not their branches if they had any. But the ground was blanketed in flowers, pink cherry blossoms to be exact. They emitted a soft, ethereal glow. Mikan wondered at their beauty and the oddity of this realm.

There was sound of a small splash, water flowing against wood. In front, where the field of sakura petals ended, was a wide river, dark and fathomless. Off in the distance, orbs of light were approaching. Light music could be heard now: whistling of bamboo flutes, twanging of lutes and zithers, resounding drums and the distinctive rasping of _kagura suzu_, ceremonial hand bells. The sound of a royal procession.

She got to her feet and stepped forward, the soft pink petals caressing her bare feet. Indeed, a procession was approaching in long boats, each with a lit lantern to guide them. And there were the spirits she had seen in the very same boats, the indescribable creatures of the other world.

They were close now. The floating orbs of light gave Mikan their faces. Some looked fierce as kami-warriors with their red skin and flaring nostrils and demon eyes; others dumb and harmless like the fat round chicklings. Some had no corporeal bodies, made of water and dark liquid. Many wore masks of some kind, of wood, rice paper, and bone with different designs. One boat was filled with identical spirits, incorporeal bodies clothed in red minister robes and purple hats, with the same designed rice paper as their face, holding identical _ofuda_, talismans from shrines.

"What are those monsters?" said Heimao under his breath, his crimson eyes wide, looking as if someone had struck him hard. Mikan hoped the spirits had not heard him.

There was a rattling sound, then a chorus of such. Startled the two mortals looked up, and Mikan realized the source of noise was from the _kodamas, _spirits of trees. Perched on the unseen branches, they were small white humanoids with large white heads that were mask-like. Heimao's hand automatically went to his waist and grabbed empty air –he lost his dagger in the lake. Unfazed, they cocked their heads one way, and the rattling began again, their heads shaking side to side until they came to a stop.

The leading boats slid easily on land. Then Mikan saw a familiar figure at the head of the centre boat step out, leading the whole procession as the only _kami _present. The Blossom Princess of the realm of Gods, Goddess of the holy mountain of Fuji, deity of the sacred forest, protector of the royal family. The same who had given her her task. _Konohana-sakuya-hime._

Mikan bowed deeply.

Konohana-sakuya was colourless mist, not touching the ground Mortals were not allowed to see a _kami _so the goddess could only visit her in such hazy form, like an evanescent dream. She wore a priceless _junihotoe_ with embroidered _sakura_ that swayed around her as she glided near. Her hair, rippling black silk, was adorned with lacquered painted combs and elaborate _bira-bira kanzashis, _the long gold chains pleasantly tinkling like a singer's laughing tremolo. Painted on her forehead was a single sakura flower, the emblem of Mikan's country.

Following etiquette, the higher-rank would speak first. In this case, it was undoubtedly the goddess. "Greetings, daughter," she spoke softly behind her fan.

Mikan kneeled on the dais of cherry blossoms and bowed deeply, hands folded on her forehead. _My lady. _

A small figure with a child's mask ran around, whirling a leaf that was twice its size. "You are here at last! You are here at last!" it chanted, and its giggles reverberated. Others echoed his words.

The girl was confused. _What do you mean, here at last?_

At these words, the stooping spirit with a white woman's mask swelled up and grew larger and larger. Two bright spots appeared on the cheeks as it shrieked: "INSOLENCE!"

The rest followed, though none swelling. "Insolence! Insolence!"

Her heart thumped irregularly, but she was still. She dared not turn her eyes away to watch Heimao's probably offensive reaction. Slighting spirits was bad. Very bad.

"Quiet." A boy, seemingly twelve-years old, stepped forward from his place beside the quiet goddess. However, his manner and eyes revealed he was a spirit dwelling in a human guise. He stepped forward and stooped to take Mikan's hands into his own.

"These hands bear no trace of recent work," he stated. His green eyes slid up and met her eyes, and Mikan could not move but to look into his eyes, moving and changing, ears full of rushing water. Then she was released.

She panted. _G-greetings, Nigihayami Kohakunushi, _she said in her mind. The river spirit did not reply.

The spirits behind him all moved as if in agitation. The kodamas rattled their heads, taking it one way and letting go, vibrating.

"She neglects her work, and time runs short," came a scratchy voice from a silver wolf. Like all the other spirits that were in guise of mammals, he was abnormally huge.

A white humanoid extended its serpentine white neck, bypassing the river spirit, to bring its face a hair's breadth from Mikan's nose. "Is it vanity?" it asked, stretching its painted red lips into a terrible smile. It twisted its neck around Mikan's trembling body, and its lengthy black hair surrounded the frightened girl. The spirit's pupils were entirely coal-black, and they bore deeply into Mikan. "Do you weep that your hands will never again be soft and white like a new-born lamb's wool?"

"Leave her alone."

All creatures quietened and turned their eyes to Heimao. This time, Mikan dared to turn her head slightly to the man. His bellicose expression alone would have been ferocious enough if he was not impeded by some black vines coiled around his legs.

"Ah. A sparrow has gotten itself caught in the Devil's Snare," said the white snake spirit, but nevertheless unwound itself from Mikan. It turned to Konohana-sakuya hime. "Shall he be disposed of, milady?"

Terror flooded through Mikan. _No! _She protested, leaping up to her feet. _Leave him be, please! He is ignorant of our customs and this world._

Konohana finally spoke. "Everyone, please quieten down."

All the spirits and creatures ceased their muttering and settled. The _kodamas_ sat high up, chins on their knees, and watched the scene unfold. Konohana stretched her palm, and out flew will-o-wisp, blue bell flames. Once near the vines, the snake-like tendrils cringed back and loosened its grip. It wriggled and flailed, unravelling itself from Heimao's legs.

"Devil's Snare likes the dark and damp," giggled a little figure under a _mino_, a straw raincoat. "Wraps around and round and chokes to death. Bye bye."

Heimao limped forward with effort; his injury was not yet healed. Sheen of sweat coated his forehead. His leg would not bear much weight any longer after another assault. Mikan worried his stitches may have come undone, but there was no way to know without enough light on his black attire.

To her surprise, the man went past her and placed himself squarely in front of her, not realizing how the otherworldly beings found this trifling amusing.

The goddess lowered her fan, revealing her solemn face. Formalities were done with, matters must be addressed. "Lord Zao, I believe that is your name, though your people call you with more highly titles. In the language of the Sakura people, you would be called Natsume. They say still waters run deep; you bear the weight of anger and fear beneath that mask of control. You are far, too far as many would say, from your rightful place and duty. What brings you here, across the scorching desert and into the heart of the unknown forest with only the darkness as your constant companion?"

Heimao kept his mouth shut, but looked at the goddess in the eye with no fear. A hiss rang out and the sprits were once again restless, agitated. The _kodamas _resumed their disturbed rattling above.

The boy, _Nigihayami Kohakunushi, _spoke, his green eyes cold. "You will answer the lady's question."

"I am not answerable to you," Heimao replied, fists clenched.

His hostility was not lost, and some spirits started to advance menacingly.

The boy's eyes flashed, then Heimao sucked in a breath of unmistakeable pain.

_Don't hurt him milord! _Mikan sent her message out frantically. _He does not understand –_

"Tell me, Lord Zao." Lady Konohana came forward, ethereally serene. The cherry blossoms stirred at the folds of her long attire. 'Why do you take her with you, against her will? She does not belong nor will she fare well in your world, _Mudan._"

"This girl has no home and so for now will travel under my protection. He who lays a hand on her shall answer to me," said Heimao.

"Fine words from a defenceless, stranded cub," growled the ancient wolf. The hoarse voice continued. "The white tint of your bone is laid out to be seen, your stomach growls mutely as your mind do sleep, but also you prowl hostile territory!"

Red flames burst out of nowhere, causing hiss of surprise, and created a protective circle around Mikan and Heimao. "I myself am a weapon that surpasses mundane metal," said Heimao in an undertone, "that combined with will is enough."

Mikan was still with fear at the outlandish display of impertinence. The only chance of survival was to plead. _Please forgive this fool. He does not understand existence beyond mortality._

"Enough," spoke Lady Konohana. "We are no threat to the girl. Let her show herself."

Heimao narrowed his eyes but the alice flames extinguished. Mikan stepped out and felt with a shiver the otherworldly eyes of every beast, being, and creature.

"You must leave now, daughter. It is time to set off on the chosen path."

Mikan was unsure of the Lady's words. _What do you mean milady? I have already set out my path, weaving the shirts to free my brothers. Why must I leave my country when I can just work here hidden in the forest, protected by the ancient spells? _

"No, you must leave. You know well yourself you are no longer protected in our midst. Even the weariest river winds somewhere safe to sea."

The wolf pointedly glared at the silent Heimao, who was suspiciously watching the silent interaction between his new ward and the goddess. The latter glared back at the intelligent beast.

"You have not answered the lady's question, boy. Lies and silence will get you nowhere," growled the wolf.

His crimson eyes flashed with unmasked anger. "I am not beholden to you."

"Did your mother not teach respect and obedience boy?" roared the wolf, revealing two rows of intimidating teeth. "Bend your pride if you wish to seek the answers to your quest!"

"A rat who gnaws at a cat's tail only invites destruction," said _Nigihayami Kohakunushi _coldly. "You seek the truth of what happened to Aoi-hime, do you not? That girl you keep in your sight can give you answers you seek. Ask her, for even though t'was a brief encounter, she has spoken to and laughed with Aoi-hime."

Heimao had frozen long since "Aoi" had been introduced in the conversation. His crimson eyes were wide with wild desperation, and he seemed to have stopped breathing altogether. Mikan stepped back; she had never seen this side of him, and the look on his face frightened her.

_Nigihayami Kohakunushi _continued as frostily as before, caring not for the human's reaction. "She cannot speak? But she speaks well enough. She pleads to us to not hurt you since you are too stupid to be dangerous."

Heimao regained his senses. "But-but she is always silent," he said and Mikan could sense the slight tremor. He whirled around to look beseeching into her pale face, as if her voice could be spotted like a mole.

"That is because you have not learned how to listen," said the boy not unkindly.

"Is she alive? At least tell me that?"

Was it Mikan's imagination or was the world tilting sideways? But no, water from the river seeped onto land with gaining speed. And in that calamitous pause, a wave crashed in.

"Remember child, you may not tell him anything. There are still many things untold, many truths yet to be uncovered. Secret letters hidden in back drawers, forbidden tales whispered amongst the children. I will not let you go unaccompanied; an old friend shall accompany you. Remember your brothers, do not forget your homeland, and continue your task. Koizumi scours the land for you."

Then the whole world was flooded with opposing currents barrelling her with equal force to different whirlpools. She thrashed and choked, carried this way and that by unseen nature's force.

Then she was pulled up by the warm in a vice-like grip. The sudden pain jetted her awareness and she kicked upwards, where through her squint she could see the sunlight glinting on the clam still surface-

They burst out, upsetting the tranquility of the lake. They wheezed, gasped greedily for air to ease their burning chests. Heimao pulled Mikan through the water to shore none-too-gently.

The afternoon breeze sifted through the lush grass they laid on. Mikan sighed and was grateful for land once more.

After a while, Heimao got up and walked away silently, disappearing behind a grove of evergreen trees. Mikan watched him leave before she herself pulled into an upright position. Her head reeled and her chest still hurt terribly. She looked at her arm and sure enough saw the beginnings of a bruise from the vice-like grip.

After her head cleared, she thought about the new facts she learned of her mysterious kidnapper. His name was _Zao_ in the language of Mudan, _Natsume _in the language of Sakura. _Natsume_, she repeated in her head. The meaning hit her like some boulders, and she wrinkled her nose. _Jujubes__! He is hardly sweet enough for half!_

And Aoi-hime. She sobered up immediately, remembering the gentle princess whose fate was unknown, kidnapped in the desert during her escape. She wondered about Aoi-hime and Heimao's relation to her. It was stronger than the usual loyalty and patriotism. Much stronger. It was even stronger than Misaki's and Tsubasa's determination to finish the mission.

There was love, she was sure. But of which kind, she was not so sure.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the late update...But cut me some slack, I'm a junior in high school doing the IB diploma.

It's nearly winter vacation, so I'll try my best to update again.

Reviews are greatly appreciated.

-mikancchi

P.S. The blog died on me.


	10. Omake Konohanasakuya Part 1

**Omake **(Part 1)** -Encounter with Konohana-sakuya**

* * *

A/N Part 1

Wonder about the aftermath of Mikan after the curse? And how she received her task? Here it is.

* * *

Mikan tightly curled herself until she felt small as an insignificant creature. But her senses kept her painfully aware of her surroundings. The pine bark was painfully digging into her thin_kimono _but she did not care. Her heart in her throat, Mikan's wide eyes were fixed fearfully at the hems of Koizumi's robes that rustled closer and closer_. _Fortunately, despite their proximity, Mikan was well-hidden by the sudden appearance of curling mist, and the trees seemed to creak slightly to cast overhanging shadows to cloak the trembling girl.

"There are only six birds here," Mikan heard Koizumi remark acidly. "It seems the little one somehow escaped the curse, that sly little girl."

Mikan heard a sharp _thwack_, which was soon followed by the agitated beating of wings and a string of loud honks. In her mind she could picture six swans awkwardly waddling with the webbed feet, desiring to fly but bound by some oppressive evil. She shut her eyes. Her heartbeats rang loud in her ears.

"You just had to interfere with my plans, didn't you _Shiki_?" Koizumi spat out the name bitterly. "Yuka named you well; you take after your name-bearer. Are you content even in this beastly form your sister is out of harm's way? As wild creatures, you have no human conscience. Nor will you ever regain it, _there is no remedy_!"

"But," she said, "what use is it to talk to dumb beasts? Be gone with you! _Aiee_!"

Koizumi's wild shriek liberated the swans from their hesitation. Mikan heard the flapping of wings as the six swans rose to take flight.

"And now. Mikan. What shall I do with you, little swallow? Where have you flown off to?"

The footsteps were approaching dangerously near Mikan's tree.

Mikan pressed her palms onto her nose and mouth. Her breathing was too noisy. It must be cut off.

Koizumi laughed in a high-pitched voice that reverberated in the thin air, that echoed throughout the forest, diffusing in all directions.

"The forest shuts my eyes to you, _hime, _but it has not shut my voice nor your ears. Hear me well, Princess of the Sakura Lands. As soon as the court's useless flurrying dies down as they scout your cursed brothers, I will find you. You may run and run, but your thin legs will tire and give away. You may scurry into an abandoned burrow, but I have dogs at my disposal, sniffing away for your wretched scent. All the trails lead to you, little swallow. When you least expect it, I will appear in front of you. For without your brothers, you are nothing, a powerless little girl-child who knows not the world."

Mikan heard the snap of a twig merely inches away from her left ear. A royal slipper entered her vision.

"First was your father, next were your brothers. And soon, it will be your turn to succumb to your fate."

There was another peal of shrill laughter. The shoe stopped and turned. "Come doctor. It seems it is not yet her time. Let us return; we must remain low for the next few days."

Two sets of footsteps faded away rapidly.

Mikan did not move. She remained in her tightly curled position.

The natural sounds of the forest had returned. The waterfall. The breeze shifting the leaves. The low call of a warbler to its mate. It took her awhile to stop the trembling.

Then her body uncurled itself and her legs unfolded and straightened. Her arms hung limply as her feet rose and fell with rhythm, one after the another, guiding Mikan through an unknown path. Her feet might as well take control of the direction, as by this time Mikan could hardly see with the flood of tears pouring from her eyes.

It started with a few sniffs. They soon progressed into a wail. Big, fat teardrops leaked as she cried and trudged forward. Her brothers were gone. _Toya, Yui, Shiki, Ryuji, Junnichi, Haru. _Her mind was beleaguered by the terrible emptiness spreading throughout her chest.

Drag, up, forward, down. _Toya, Yui, Shiki, Ryuji, Junnichi, Haru._

Drag, up, forward, down. _Toya, Yui, Shiki, Ryuji, Junnichi, Haru._

And sometime later, Mikan found herself at a clearing, and across the field was an ancient cherry blossom tree. As the tree became larger in her sight, she vaguely realized this was the sacred _Sakura _tree worshipped by her countrymen. The _shimenawa_, special plaited rope, around the wide trunk had neglected zig-zag _shide _rustling, producing the gentle crackle of paper.

Mikan had no inkling to why her feet guided her to this gnarled old tree. She stood and stared numbly with an occasional sniffle.

Then she came. It was as if she had always been there. Mikan saw the spirit of colourless mist watch her with expressionless eyes. Her rippling hair seemed to have no end, and her heavenly garments flowed down with grace. Mikan's eyes focused on the five petal flower on this spirit's forehead and realized this unearthly spirit was the deity of the Sakura lands, daughter of Mount Fuji and Empress of _Sakura_. Lady Kono-hana-sakuya.

_Come forward, Mikan-_hime.

Mikan staggered forward mutely, but her eyes never leaving the spirit.

_There is little time. Even this place is too dangerous –it is too near the castle, and you will be sighted. You must walk quickly, enter into the depths and journey to the heart of the forest. Are you listening, child?_

Fatigue of the day's events had finally caught up to her. Mikan was on the verge of collapsing. Her legs trembled so violently, and her bruised body ached painfully.

"They –they are gone," Mikan whispered. "She is coming after me, it is my turn, I must –I must tell Priestess Shoshi –"

_Stop._

Mikan caught air in a shuddering breadth and wiped her streaming nose with her torn sleeve.

_Listen child. Listen to the forest. It is too still, absent of sound._

Indeed, Mikan realized the air was still. The sun's warm rays were hidden, and the warbler's call had disappeared.

_This is a farewell._

Mikan felt cold. "A farewell? To whom? I don't understand –"

_My father's shrine is no longer a safe haven. No place that she knows of is safe. You must leave immediately to the heart of the forest, where the barrier will shield you from prying eyes. The tree dwellers, the spirits, the living creatures will ensure your survival. There is little time left to choose your path._

"Choose?" spluttered Mikan, almost indignantly. If she had met her deity under normal circumstances, she would have been horrified of her rude behaviour. "What choice is there for me to take? First Koizumi poisons my Father, then she turns all my brothers into wild beasts, and now she intends to kill me, and I must flee!"

_Hush child_, said the spirit patiently. _Choose. Live the rest of your days in terror, fleeing like a hunted prey. Or take upon a task to free your cursed siblings._

Mikan stared at her. There was a little silence, as the spirit passively regarded Mikan with her expressionless eyes.

"Save them?" she whispered. "But –but Koizumi said _there is no remedy –_"

_There is always an undoing; this, Koizumi does not realize._

Mikan staggered forward and tripped, falling to her knees. "How?" she asked. She desperately searched into the spirits' eyes for some answers. A small hope had taken root in her heart.

_You will need my help._

Mikan's hope wilted a little. "There is a price." It was a statement, not a question.

_There is a price. It is not a frivolous sum, for the equivalent value must be given to preserve the world's balance. But first, search thoroughly the darkest corners of your heart, for your wish cannot be granted without many appropriate sacrifices. The task is not meant for the faint-hearted little girls. You, born as the princess of this land, has never come across hardships or obstacles in your life. Are you willing to roughen those smooth white hands with calluses and numerous scratches? You no longer have your brothers for you to run to in times of trouble. This task, you must face by yourself only._

Mikan's eyes darkened. "I am not weak," she said with an edge.

Kono-hana-sakuya-_hime_'s eyes penetrated her own. _Never forget those words, Mikan-hime of the Sakura lands. _She waved her sleeved arm once in the air in a strange motion.

Furious gales of wind arose out of nowhere, commanded by the spirit, and enveloped Mikan entirely like a cocoon, blocking her sight. Shocked, she cried out and instinctively tried to shield her head from the tossing winds whirling like a hurricane.

_I am now sending you to the Witch of the Dimensions. She knows that you are coming. Tell her everything, and do not forget what you have said to me. Good luck, Mikan-hime._

With that, Mikan felt her rising into the air and was tossed high up into the air. With no air to scream, her eyelids slammed shut as the invisible powerful currents clashed with her in the middle – she rolled a sequence of fast somersaults and was sucked into every direction –the wind dragged her spinning and spinning-

She felt the solid land –the world righted itself. Her fingers felt the hard-packed soil, and the wind had disappeared. Mikan cautiously opened her eyes.

She was no longer in the forest. In fact, she had no bearings. All around was dark, yet she could feel the ground, see herself, and clearly see the impossibly tall woman in front of her.

"Ahh, so here is the little swallow." The woman's ruby pupils were riveted on Mikan. "Konohana-chan notified me of you."

* * *

**Glossary**

_Hime _= Princess in Japanese.

Little swallow –Koizumi refers to Mikan as little swallow. The English reference for this would be some evil witch cooing to her victim "little birdling" or some endearment of such.

_Shimenawa _–specially plaited ropes; seen on sacred trees, in front of shrines, etc.

_Shide _–the white, zig-zag paper strips hanging from sacred trees and used by mikos, shrine maidens, during ceremonies.

*Note -I used Harry's first use of Floo Powder (_Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets _by J.K. Rowling) and_ Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles _(CLAMP) to write the travel between dimensions.

* * *

A/N Part 2:

So I realize many people are wanting, to put it simply, take a huge fan and beat me senseless for not updating for about a year. A thousand apologies won't be enough. I do sincerely apologize to all the readers for the lack of update. If you are interested in hearing my excuse, it's school work. IB diploma (EXTENDED ESSAY AHH!), college applications, and more. If you are not interested in my excuse, well then.

My gratitude to all those who stuck with me throughout and took the time to click that link in the update notification email. I can't promise more updates until December is out, but I give an oath that two more lengthy chapters will be uploaded before the end of 2011.

In the meantime, I will briefly summarize all the characters that have appeared/have been mentioned so far.

**Sakura Lands**

–royal symbol is the cherry blossom flower

-uses the Japanese language

_The Royal Family of Sakura_

**Azumi Yuka**

Deceased; former wife of Izumi and mother of the seven royal children.

**Izumi**

Current King of the Sakura lands. Very ill.

**Koizumi Luna**

Current Queen of the Sakura lands. Revealed to be a spy from the Mudan Kingdom and plots to kill the King. Responsible for cursing Mikan's brothers into swans.

**Toya**

The eldest and heir to the throne.

**Yui**

The second-eldest. Has an alice, but undefined. (Will be explained later).

**Shiki**

The third child. Born with spiritual powers, he is to succeed as the next High Priest.

**Ryuji**

The fourth child. Known as a great warrior.

**Junnichi**

The fifth child. Has the alice of clairvoyance. Also shares a special connection with Mikan; they are able to share thoughts and feelings without words.

**Haru**

The sixth child and last boy. Has the alice of animal pheromone.

**Sakura Mikan**

The protagonist of the story. Has an alice to be revealed later. (Obvious though).

_Palace People_

**Anjo Narumi**

The Prime Minister of the Sakura Lands. Has the alice of pheromone.

**Misaki**

The Royal Pharmacist. Has the alice of plant pheromone.

**Umi**

The maid of Mikan.

**Priestess Shoshi**

The High Priestess of the Sakura Lands. She is in charge of the official ceremonies and can call upon the goddess. Has spiritual powers.

_Realm of Gods_

**Konohana-sakuya-hime**

The goddess and deity the people of Sakura worship. She is the daughter of the God of Mt. Fuji, the sacred mountain of the Sakura lands. She helps Mikan embark on her mission to save her brothers.

**Nigihayami Kohakunushi**

A retainer of the goddess with a cold exterior. Is the same character (Kohaku) from _Spirited Away._

**Mudan Kingdom**

–royal symbol is the peony flower

-speaks the language Chinese

_Royal Family of Hyuuga_

**Aoi**

Princess of the Hyuuga Royal family. Juunichi and Mikan help her escape back to her homeland. However, the rescue mission goes awry. She is currently missing and presumed to be dead.

_Scouts_

**Heimao**

Revealed by Lady Konohana to be Zao. Finds and abducts Mikan. Seems to be searching for Aoi-hime, who he shares a special relationship with. Has the alice of fire.

**Harada Misaki**

One of Heimao's partner. Has the alice of doppleganger.

**Ando Tsubasa**

One of Heimao's partner. Has the alice of shadow.

* * *

Thank you, and please _**review**_. Inundating my inbox will give a visual reminder of the updates :) (and make me happy while I write these forsaken college applications and work out why has not released my SAT scores -_-)


	11. Omake Konohanasakuya Part 2

**Omake Part 2 -Encounter with Konohana-sakuya**

"_Even if you lose everything._

_Even if you have to give up the things you love._

_Continuing despite this_

_Living for your own sake_

_That's determination."_

_- _Ichihara Yuuko (_xxxHolic)_

* * *

The Witch of the Dimensions was a striking figure. She towered over Mikan, and her jet black hair swirled around her lengthy frame. The Witch's icy blue eyes fixated upon Mikan's own brown ones, unblinking and unnerving.

Even considering what Mikan just witnessed, this woman bore an impressive aura. "Are you the Witch of the Dimensions?" Mikan stammered.

"I have been called that," replied the woman, rather impassively.

Mikan could have sworn the Witch's eyes were ruby-red just a second before. She blinked and broke off the gaze.

Aware of her disheveled appearance, she arranged herself into the proper posture and bowed her head. "Konohana-sakuya-hime-_sama_ informed me you could help me," she said calmly as possible while watching her fingers tremble.

"The usurper's name is?" the Witch asked.

"Koizumi. Koizumi Luna," Mikan answered bitterly.

"And yours?"

"Sakura Mikan."

"Why have you come, Sakura Mikan?"

_Tell her everything _Konohana-sama said. Mikan proceeded to recount her tale. Her tongue stumbled over a few words, but she was proud to not have shed a single tear.

"A woman usurped the King status by poisoning your King and placing a curse on your brothers," the Witch précised.

Mikan reaffirmed so.

"You wish to free your brothers of the curse."

Mikan once again reaffirmed so.

"Look up child. Did Konohana-sama tell you of the balance of the world?"

"Yes, that my wish requires a price, one equivalent value must be given to preserve the world's balance. But I'm ready to accept the consequences. Please," Mikan knelt before the Witch, "help me."

The Witch saw before her a frightened child, but also a determined one.

"Your brothers will not die even if they are not freed. Though they will maintain the form of a swan till death, they still live. Even so you wish to help them?"

"Yes. Everything is- is wrong. All wrong. They were not meant to be swans, they are humans, lords and princes of the Sakura lands!"

"There will be a price. Even so?"

"I will do anything to save them!"

"Good, you are prepared. The task is most difficult. Watanuki! Fetch the things in the store room." She addressed a young man with two round glasses in front of each eye, who hurried away promptly.

The Witch turned back to Mikan. "Stand up child, there's no need to dirty yourself."

As Mikan stood, she first became aware of her strange surroundings. She could see the sun and some trees, but around her were mostly large rectangular structures that stood high to the sky. And the outfit the Witch wore…she found it familiar and strange, as though it was a fusion of different styles. And revealing, _very_ revealing.

The man named Watanuki came back with a lacquered tray. The Witch gestured Mikan forward.

"I cannot undo the curse for you. The woman did not use an alice, what you call your powers in your world, to curse your brothers. The curse is of another deep origin. I can only help in telling what you must do and providing the tools you need."

On the tray were a silver knife, a small loom, spindle, and a needle.

Mikan stared at the tools. "I will need to sew?"

"You are aware of the plant starwort?"

It was a common plant that grew near water. A plant with feathery gray flowers and painful, spiny thorns. In Mikan's chest began trickling of dread. She nodded and steeled herself.

"The stalk of the plant is highly magic-resistant. With these three tools, you must weave a starwort shirt, one for each brother, then put the shirt on them to undo the curse. The task must be completed solely by you –the reaping, threading, the weaving, the stitching –else the shirts will be ineffective."

_Weave six shirts with starwort? _To touch that plant, more so to weave shirts with hurt her. She cringed as the pain flashed back to her. When she was four, she had lightly brushed her arm against that plant. That time, she had Toya's strong arms to hold her, Junnichi's soothing voice telling a story to distract her, and Shiki's patient fingers to pluck out each thorn.

But her brothers were no longer here.

She plucked up courage and thought not of the pain. _Stay strong. _"And what must I give in return?" She was proud her voice remained steady.

"Your suffering."

Perplexed, Mikan repeated, "My suffering? What does that mean…"

"Wishes are ruthless. The price paid must be equal in value to the wish. To free your brothers, you must suffer with your brothers."

Affronted, Mikan indignantly said, "I don't want to be rude, but I think I am suffering."

"Not enough," replied the Witch. "Your case is unique. Instead of me taking something, it is you who must take something from yourself. Your brothers, transformed into dumb birds, have lost human speech. Then you too cannot speak. Until you finish your task, until your brothers regain their speech, you must not speak at all. You cannot make _a sound. _Take your voice away from you, and the resulting suffering is the price of your wish. If you fail to do so, these tools will disappear and the shirts will be ineffective. In short, your price is to master your self."

The inside of her mouth turned dry. Distantly, she heard the man called Watanuki say "Eh?"

"The price does not have loopholes. You must suffer alone. You cannot tell in writing, gestures, or by any other means your story to others. You must carry your story within and cannot tell others about your task either."

To not speak…to refrain from emitting a single sound. And to be alone.

_Alone. _

It was unimaginable.

But she loved her brothers.

The Witch's gave Mikan some time before proceeding to ask the last question. "Will you still go through this?"

There was no return. Mikan firmly conjured the picture of them frolicking in the forest. "I will do it. I won't let my brothers live cursed." Her gaze leveled with the Witch's without faltering.

The Witch gave her a small smile. The first smile. "Readiness and sincerity. You seem to have the qualities needed. I once said the same thing to someone else who came here, and like you wanted to save someone else important to him."

Readiness? Mikan hardly thought she was ready, but she was definitely sincere. She was going to free her brothers, whatever it took.

The man called Watanuki placed the tools in her arms and gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled in return then gazed at the plain tools. They seemed so insignificant to what she needed to pay.

"Thank you, Miss Witch of the Dimensions." Mikan bowed earnestly to the tall lady.

"Don't thank me yet. You cannot return as of now."

This was all becoming too much for her. "What do you mean, I cannot return as of now? Then how am I supposed to return?"

"It is a complicated matter for me to explain. You should return quickly. However, as you have not the skills to return, and I am the only one who can transport you back to your world, you need to pay another price," said the Witch. She seemed sorry to inform the young girl.

"Another price? I gave you my voice; do you want my sight now?" wailed Mikan.

The Witch tutted. "That would be too heavy of a price. Watanuki, get the scissors."

_Scissors? _Mikan fearfully watched Watanuki reluctantly hand the Witch a giant pair of two metal things. The _snip _sounds made it all more menacing. She nervously twined her fingers into her long locks.

"Your hair will suffice." At Mikan's aghast expression, the Witch said, "Come child, surely your hair is a trifle importance as of now."

Subjected to months of self-torture with spindly thorns, unable to utter a sound, live with the knowledge of her corrupted kingdom…Mikan sighed. Customs, or Mikan acknowledged vanity was indeed a trifling matter. But she still closed her eyes and winced at the brutal snip.

A heavy weight fell off her shoulders and her head felt much lighter. She timidly raised her fingers and patted the remaining hair…to her chin.

She couldn't take her eyes off the ever-long brown tresses on the floor. To her horror, she felt tears threatening to spill. Angrily, she swiped her face with an arm. To cry about losing hair!

"Growing one's hair is the custom in your world, I believe. Hair, as your body, should be treated with respect because your parents gave it to you. It is a pity, but it must be done." The Witch stroked Mikan's head reassuringly. "It will grow back, little swallow. Nothing to be ashamed of. Think of it as a new beginning."

"It's ready," said Watanuki. Mikan sniffed and hugged the tools in her arms.

The Witch tilted Mikan's chin with a finger so that their eyes would meet. Mikan noticed that the other's eyes turned blue again. But less icy this time.

"Remember child. Once you return to your world, you may not let out a single noise. Cut the starwort and begin weaving your shirts, one for each brother. Do not tell anyone of your tale. Succeed, and your brothers will be free."

Mikan nodded, and the Witch stepped back. "Then please get going."

Wind gathered in a circle around her and enveloped her in a cocoon. Wisely, she shut her eyes and prepared herself for the onslaught of chaotic tossing in the hurricane.

As Mikan disappeared, the scent of cherry blossoms suffused through the air. Konohana-sakuya-hime appeared in view under the _sakura _tree, floating transparently in her flowing garments. The Witch of the Dimensions nodded in greeting.

"How did it go, Yuuko?" asked the Kami.

"Okay. I wish her good luck on her journey, no pun intended of course," said the Witch.

Watanuki was too used to strange guests to flinch at the ghostly translucent figure. "She has the determination, so I don't think things will go wrong."

"Bah," replied Yuuko. She stretched her arms high in the air. "Ah, it'll be nice to drink after that hard work. Konohana-chan, want to join me for _sakura sake_? Watanuki, go make some _gyoza_ or something!"

"Right, work me like a slave," muttered Watanuki as he wandered off.

Yuuko saw Konohana in quiet pensiveness.

"Nothing will go wrong, he says," said Yuuko.

Konohana looked up to the blue sky. "I pray it to be so, Yuuko."

The Kami and the Witch watched the blue sky together until Watanuki came chasing after two giggling girls juggling the _sake _jug between the two.

* * *

A/N

I fear I assume correctly when I assume that some people want to seriously kill me right now with a theoretical gun, knife, and/or any other murder weapon. (I hope it's a theoretical weapon).

As my profile states:

I am alive. Worn out, but alive.

I have been accepted into college.

May is here.

**MAY is here.**

**IB exams are here.**

****So far I have finished my papers for Math and Music and one for English. I have 7 more papers left, yaybeans.

Here is omake part 2. Lot of it is just taken from xxxHolic, as you can see. For those who haven't read these awesome CLAMP works, you should. It's great. They are the gods of manga in my opinion.

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten Hotaru, Ruka, Yuuichi, and all other characters. They are coming.

Thank you for all the support I've been receiving from you all! (Especially from my fellow sufferers ;P)

So please...

Please don't haunt my dreams.

Please limit author-hunting to the theoretical realm.

Please review.

Thank you!

_-Mikancchi, _in and out.


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